Stranger From Dream
by Kaiyuga
Summary: Now landing in the Naruto realm, Aki has gotten used to Konoha life pretty well. But in her realistic dream, a forgotten reality looms up to slap her in the face. The Chuunin Exam. And what lies beyond...Sequel to Visitor From Reality
1. Welcome to Team 7!

"_Man, I'm bored right now. There's practically nothing exciting to do here. The biggest thriller they have here is the ramen bar, but besides that, no out of the ordinaries, besides me. But I'll think of something._" A knock disrupted her writing.

She looked up from her journal, her tinted glasses glistening in the morning sun that snuck through her glass panel door.

"Aki?" Even though his voice was muffled, she could tell it was Kakashi.

"Right, coming." She twirled the leather string around the dragon stamped silver button to close the book, and fixed her beige vest.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she took a moment to think about it. She had assimilated quite well in the Naruto world in three days. He hair was perkier, a thin headband tied around her forehead. She was wearing a tight shirt that came midway, a piece of protective cloth underneath and torn at the edges. She wore baggy dungaree shorts that came to her knees, and chain looped through one of the belt holes. She wore gloves similar to Kakashi's but instead of all of the fingers of the glove cut out, only three were. She gave a low whistle.

"I must be a **pain** in the _ass_ to draw." She looked over to her bedside stand. 

Upon lay a Hitai- Ate Leaf headband, soldered against black material. She slowly picked it up with delicate hands, remembering how she had gotten it.

__

They were walking on their way back to Konoha, the sun shining brightly. There was no need to worry of ninja attacks, for their hirer was six feet under. They had finally made it back to Konoha, the giant double doors swinging open to let them in. Team 7 ran off to freedom, but Kakashi stayed behind with Aki.

"Aki. I must speak with the Hokage, but until then…" He unwound his headband, and handed it to her.

Aki took it into her hands as though it were a diamond, unable to speak. Kakashi smiled before walking off. But it soon turned into a self- scowl. How could he give her such a lame gift?! On the contrary, it was the greatest thing he could give her at the time.

"Aki. Please hurry, we don't want to be late!"

She snapped out of her reminiscence, and tied the headband around her chest like a sling over her heart.

"Hey, one's gotta have style." She said to the mirror.

She opened the door of her apartment, nodded to Kakashi, and both went POOF in a puff of smoke.

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"So, this was the girl you were talking about?" The Hokage leaned back in his chair, smoke curling around his disk- shaped hat.

"Yes." Kakashi was holding Aki in front of him his hands resting on her shoulders.

"My name is Berokunta Akiosu." She gave a deep, charismatic bow as a sign of respect towards him.

He smiled slightly.

"Charming, she is. How long have you been living in Konoha?"

"Since I was three, I believe. I can't quite remember."

"Strange. I've never seen you before."

"Oh, I mostly hid in the alleyways, behind buildings, in the dumpsters; places where people would not see me and not bother me."

"Orphan?"

"Abandoned."

"Your parents?"

"Barely knew them."

"I haven't heard of the name Berokunta before." Aki shrugged,"Yet, you are accommodated well in our village?"

Aki didn't know if this place was truly just called a "_village_". She nodded.

"Kakashi here has placed in a request for you to join with Team 7." Hearing this made Aki's outline shine with radiance, "However…"

Aki hated when they said something like that; it always noted that there was a catch involved:

"_We're watching a movie today…but you have to take notes on it._"

"_We have no homework today…but you have a project due in two days._"

"It appears that you have not had any real ninja training before holding what appears to be a Genin level. How is that possible?"

"I watched from afar, listening to what the Chuunin teachers taught their pupils. From then on, it was plainly just survival for me."

The Hokage looked over some papers, writing things in as he went on with his interrogation.

"No academy training, no Genin training…" He mumbled, scribbling down notes.

He cleared his throat.

"Also, it is very rare that a Jounin teaches four Genin instead of the normal three." Aki didn't like where this was going. Was she going to be stuck with the little brats back to the Academy?!

"But this is quite a rare exception." Aki lit up like a Roman candle.

The Hokage smiled, "You are now part of Team 7."

Aki was practically beaming with joy. She bowed, and Kakashi showed her the way out. After closing the door, the room suddenly switched to a more heavily serious air.

"This is unlike anything I have ever seen." The Hokage's voice with grim- sounding, "She could even surpass you, if she realized it." Kakashi nodded. 

"In my eyes, she could be one of his--" The Hokage lifted up a hand to silence him.

"Let us hope that it _never _comes to that." He bowed his head, hiding his face in the shadow of his hat.

Kakashi understood that the meeting was adjured. He bowed his head, and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the Hokage with his thoughts.

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"What's going on?!" whispered one frantically.

"Is this the Fox's doing?"

"What is that up there?!"

Many voices huddled by their midnight windows, seeing a miraculous and fearful spectacle. Under a full blue moon, explosions of a shiny substance pfted and showered to the ground, changing color along the way. It was all happening on a cliff edge right outside of the walls of Konoha. A large sakura tree loomed over the display, dark petals falling to the ground below, reflecting the blue moon's glow.

People didn't know if it was to fear or to stare at with amazement. Probably a little of both. 

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Naruto watched from his window, dazzled by the fireworks. 

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Sakura looked out to the cliff, the lights glimmering in her ivy eyes. 

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Sasuke took a glance out the window and went back to sleep. 

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Kakashi was out cold in his bed, a half-open Vol. 4 of _Come Come Paradise _rising and falling with his bandaged chest. And Aki was there…

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She twirled her blue chakra fingers through the open air, watching as her words morphed into kanjis. She was sitting on a rock mound, leaning against the sakura tree. Her headphones were clinging to her ears, listening to Damien Rice's "Cannonball". 

She formed a bird shape with her hands by hooking her thumbs together and spreading her fingers out. Instantly, a glimmering blue bird soared from her hands, circled the sakura tree, and pfted gently into a shower of purple sparkles. Rolling her fingers backwards as if to tell someone to rewind a tape, she spread her spinning hands apart, a bubble of colorful chakra bobbing in midair. Taking it gently with the tips of her fingers, she lifted it to the moon, and blew at it softly. A thousand colorful butterflies flew from the orb of chakra, their colors changing from crimson to gold to plum to azure to silver to green before they fell back to the earth, their wings illuminating the ground. 

Her next trick was a wild one. She drew out a serpentine eye, its pupil glowing black while the outline of the eyeball was gold. After a few minutes passed, Aki had created the head of a Japanese Long, its rainbow body rippling in the night sky like a flag of silk caught in the afternoon breeze.

Finishing the tail, the behemoth came to life, soaring into the moon's spotlight. It silently hovered over the village before exploding into a ring of crystal blue bladed spires of chakra, spirals of poppy red, blooms of gold and lime green, implosions of plum purple and tangy orange and wings of silver and bronze. 

"Whoa!" breathed Naruto and Sakura, though they didn't know.

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The explosion had caught Sasuke's ear, and caught the very ends of the display. 

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Kakashi slept on, the book slipping from his loose grip and clattering to the floor.

  
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The next morning, Kakashi woke up groggy- eyed. Then again, he always looked groggy- eyed. Scratching his silver windswept mane of hair, he bent down and placed _Come Come Paradise_ back on the shelf with the others, and stopped to look at the two framed photographs that made up his life portrait. One was of him at 26 with his hands on Sasuke's and Sakura's shoulders, Naruto bending forward with a foolish grin smacked to his face. The other…

Was his tutor and his teammates. He looked closer at a frumpy- looking kid with half-open eyes and gray hair. He chuckled to himself.

"I was such a spitfire back then." He rubbed his chest.

He walked into the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. Warily checking to see if anyone was watching (as if), he began to unwrap the bandages around his wound. He gently peeled off the cloth that had held the medicine in place, and was amazed at what he saw.

The wound had healed completely; not even a scar was left behind. Kakashi slid a hand across just to make sure. Yup, the skin was totally healed.

He walked out into the morning sun an hour later, pausing to take in the light with his one seen eye. Two older women walked by him, whispering excitedly in hushed voices.

"Did you see those last night..?"

"Do you think it was…"

"No, he was at his apartment. I saw."

"So, then who..?"

"Beats me."

The two women departed in their separate ways. Kakashi was just as confused as ever.

"Huh?!" He furiously scratched the back of his head, thinking hard.

"Morning, Kakashi!" Aki was racing down the dirt pavement, waving her arm wildly.

"Oh, hi, Aki!" He smiled cheerfully.

"So…did you see them last night?" She was out of breath from running.

"Seeeeee what?" He raised his eyebrow.

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Aki's face dampened slightly. She had done all that last night to catch his attention, but evidently, she got everyone's except his.

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"The lightworks last night."

Kakashi shook his head, a hand behind it.

"Sorry. Don't know what you're talking about."

Aki lowered her eyes a bit.

"Hey, that's alright…" she looked up, "But you missed some killer displays!"

And with that, Aki ran off. Kakashi stood there, baffled.

"_That girl is one trump card_." He muttered to himself before poofing into a small cloud of smoke.

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Aki stood next to the sakura tree overlooking the town.

"Man, I can only do those at night!" Her shoulders dropped, "Damn, it's boring in the day." A warm afternoon breeze caught her ponytail of wild hair.

A white- ish blue bird soared to tune to the breeze, flying into the sun. Aki watched, the cogs in her mind already starting to turn. It was a pain to climb up this cliff, but she knew higher places, and steeper. 

Hills, warm wind, bird…

Hills, air currents, wings…

Launch, currents, wingcraft…

Then it came to her. An insane, wacky idea that she never would have tried at home until she was 21. She grinned mischievously as she made her way down the cliff.

Well, she was going to need supplies if she was to build a glider.


	2. Sketch 1: Disaster!

It was raining that afternoon. Everyone was rushing back to their homes, pulling back their grocery stands to keep them from getting wet. Aki was doing double the time. Hell no, she didn't want to be seen! Her only umbrella of safety was her vest, but that was starting to get wet. A drop fell down onto her nose, and once again, it changed into ink and back to water as it fell to the ground. Why did her apartment have to be on the other side of town?! Not that many were out on the streets as Aki hurtled down the rows of cream colored apartments.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She ran faster than she would have guessed, but being the visitor from reality, things changed to what was "real" to them.

She finally got to her apartment, the rain grew heavier. Under the awning of her door, Aki pulled off the soaking vest, and wiped the ink from her hair.

Mew?

(_Oh, God. Please don't torture me like this! What did I do wrong now?!_) Aki looked down, and was shocked beyond thoughts.

Shivering in the rain was a tiny black kitten, its wet fur matted and dirty.

"Mew?" It squeaked, looking for companionship.

If there was one weakness Aki had, it was her love for cats. Fat, thin, short, long, small, big; she loved them all. She squatted down, holding a hand out in the rain. The kitten looked confused at the ink that was flowing through the cracks of her fingers, and crept cautiously towards the open hand. Aki was smiling as the kitten sniffed her fingers, and rubbed her head into her palm. Aki could tell it was a she; it was something a cat otaku could do.

"You're soaked. Do you wanna come in?" The kitten walked right into her lap, purring deeply.

Aki cooed as she stroked the car's ears. She picked up the cat, wrapped her up in her vest, and brought her in.

Aki's apartment was simple. It had three rooms: One was a bedroom, one was for a kitchen and the last was a bathroom. Aki had come to own this place when she landed in the Naruto realm. Her currency had switched to Konoha's, which means instead of having her life savings, she had a fricken' bank in her pocket!

Mind you, the apartment she got was cheap. It was a run down building at first, but with the help of Kakashi, Iruka and some others, Aki's apartment looked as though it was just built. Aki had done the interior design, her color schemes amazing to the eye. She even added a fireplace, just for the hell of it (and because she liked the feeling of being near a lit one, especially at night.).

Aki set the kitten on her bed, and went into the kitchen for some food and the bathroom for two towels. She lit a fire in the fireplace, even though it was dusk time, and sat down on the bed with a bowl of chicken- flavored ramen wedged between her thighs. She started to rub the wet fur to rid of the water, the kitten purring and meowing every few seconds.

"Oh, you like this." Aki rubbed faster, teasing the kitten playfully.

The kitten replied by sucking on Aki's finger, but them it caught a familiar scent. Its sonar like ears perked up and its little yellow eyes caught sight of the ramen bowl. Pulling out of the towel, the kitten made its way to the steaming cup of heaven, licking her muzzle.

"Oh no. This is for me." Aki lifted the bowl out of reach for the kitten.

The kitten squatted down like a leopard, her rump wiggling in readiness. Faster than light, the kitten leapt onto Aki's shoulder, and stole a dangling ramen noodle. She jumped back down and started nibbling away.

"You like ramen noodles as much as the next guy!" Aki went into the kitchen for a second, smaller bowl.

Hours had passed, and the kitten decided it was time for bed. The kitten stretched out her arms and legs, whimpering a little mew before curling up on the pillow next to Aki's. She watched her, thinking of a name to call her.

"Night…? No, too bland. Salem…Sounds too boyish. Well, my last kitten's name was Karma-" The kitten woke up as she said the name.

""Karma"? Is that what you want to be called?" The kitten purred as if to say "yes". 

Aki grinned as she got onto her bed, her back lying against the headboard. She picked up the book sitting on her nightstand, and opened up to the book- marked page. Even though it was written in kanjis, Aki knew what it read on the cover and inside:

****

MEDICINAL HERBS & THEIR USES

VOL. 7:

SEDATIVES & ANESTETHICS

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Aki woke up the next morning with a rush.

"Oh, God, I'm gonna be SO late!" She rushed into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Crap, why didn't she wake me!?" She struggled to put on her sandals as she hopped to the door.

She wrapped a cord around her hair, and tied it to keep her ponytail together.

"I'm leavin'! Bye!" She picked up her bag, slung over her shoulder, and swung the door open and shut.

Karma stood there, baffled at what just happened. The door slowly creaked open, and there stood Aki. Her head was bowed, a smirk on her face. She chuckled as she came back into her apartment, closing the door softly behind her.

Evidently, her school bio- clock had gone off.

"You are such an idiot, Aki." She said to herself, placing her bookbag on the chair next to the kitchen table, "What time is it?"

She looked on the digital clock to see that it was 9AM. The sun was blazing in the sky.

"Well, if I'm awake, might as well get to it." She picked up a few bills from her secret stash, and walked out the door.

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"Anything special you're doing with that, miss?" The store clerk was cheerful, but slightly suspicious of Aki buying fifty yards of thick fabric.

"Need it for a trip." He didn't catch Aki's pun.

"Okay, have a nice day!" He waved goodbye as Aki walked through the door.

"You too!" She waved back before bumping headfirst into a passer by.

Her change fell to the dirt, clinking against each other.

"Geez, I'm so sorry!" The stranger bent down to pick up the stray coins.

"No, it's my fault. I wasn't looking." Aki looked up, and stiffened a bit.

She had bumped straight into an Anbu, wearing a tiger mask outlined in black paint.

"Is anything the matter?" Even though the mask was intimidating, he had a gentle voice.

"No, I- I'm sorry. Thanks for the help." She fixed her glasses and was off.

The Anbu scratched the back of his head, and walked away, his black cloak swirling in the breeze.

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"Okay, I got the wood, I got the cloth, I got the tools…"She was checking off her list, pointing at each topic, "And I've got the books! Right, let's get to it!"

Aki had built an addition to the side of her apartment, near the back. It was intended for gardening, but the plants hadn't been on sale nor were they the kinds she liked. So instead, she turned it into her workshop for the time being. No power tools. Damn. Oh well. She checked her book on aviation, reading over the standards of flight. Sure, no one had ever heard of a plane before, and if she had mentioned one, they'd probably stare at her like there was no tomorrow. But it had talked about bird's flight, since it was more of an ornithologist's book. 

The wings had to be curved slightly to create lift. The tail had to be long to control flight. The feathers (in this case, the cloth) had to be tightly packed, but baggy to let wind catch to also produce lift. The bird's wingspan had to be double their body length, and depending on their weight, the wings would have to be longer. 

Aki knew she was 150 pounds, so her wingspan had to be at least, what..? Fifteen yards? Maybe more? Had she bought the right wood to support her weight? Well, only one way to find out. She began to take measurements, drawing line of cutting with her pencil. After drawing out ten long stilts of wood, she went for the saw in her toolbox, and began sawing away, wiping her brow from sweat. After the pieces had been cut, she then took a hammer and nails, and began pounding them into the settled stilts. After cursing and swearing for two hours, she stopped and looked at her finished frame. Sure, it needed some sanding, but apart from that, it was one hell of a piece of handiwork.

"Mr.Simmins better damn well give me full marks in carpentry class." She said, sucking her sore and untimely fingers. 

The sun was settings, and she was worn out. She locked up garden gate (not like it mattered) and went up to her apartment. Funny it was called an apartment; no one else lived in that building except her. And Karma.

"Hey, boo!" Aki bent down to scratch Karma's ears.

The kitten responded with purring.

"You know, you're just like my last…" Her words trailed off, making her think.

She shook her head to rid of the thought, and went to take a shower.

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Aki was standing on a medium sized hill, holding her first glider in one hand, and the weight in the other. She compared 150 pounds to the closet thing that a human was made out of, so the weight was a human dummy filled with water. She strapped it in, and waited for a good breeze to come by.

Aki felt the wind pick up rather fast, and Aki hoisted up the glider. God, did she really weigh that much?! Carefully placing her footing firmly in the dirt, Aki revved back the glider, and threw it forward with all her might.

It's flight time: 0.2 seconds

Aki heard the frame groan under the weight of the dummy, and snapped, making the glider crumple to the ground below.

"Aw shit!" She skidded down the hillside to salvage what she could. Firewood really. 

At least she hadn't used the good cloth, which may have explained why it hadn't flown right. She saw, after she got a closer look, that she had forgotten to bend the wood slightly, give it a longer tail and that she had chosen the wrong wood; it was Japanese maple, too brittle to be bend in straining weight.

"Okay, that sketch sucked!" Aki gathered what little she could, and went back to Konoha, realizing that she had spent half of her savings to that wreckage that lay in her arms.

Looks like she was going to have to do a couple of solo ranked missions to up it up again. 


	3. Sketches 2 through 6: From Bad to Worse!

"What the hell's goin' on up there?!" Iruka was hearing banging against wood, then a slew of swear words in what appeared to be in a different language.

When he dismissed the morning class at noon, Iruka decided to check out what was going on before the afternoon class came. He strolled through the thin crowds, savoring the warm sunlight that bathed his face. Down here, no one really seemed to notice the banging and the cursing. Then again, ninjas, mostly Chuunin and Jounin had an acute sense of hearing. He left the ring of buildings on the outskirts of town where the grass started to come up greener and more fully. Out there, there was one apartment that he and some others had fixed for someone, but Iruka forgot who.

He was minding his own business as he was walking towards the apartment, when a huge hunk of wood went soaring into his head. It gave a loud THWACK before falling to the ground.

"Aie-ya! What was that?!" He rubbed his head furiously from the dull pain.

He heard some banging from behind the apartment, and saw the gate swing open, the wood quaking against the vibration it got from crashing into the side of the building. In a flash, Iruka hid behind some if the nearby bushes, and watched as a teenage girl came storming out, sucking on her fingers.

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"Tenlo hange mequista!" She spat as she went back to her front door, "Dun kan me hadriek!" Of course, no one had a clue as to what she was saying besides herself. She could turn it into a code if people were interested in learning it.

She jammed her key into the lock, turned the bronze knob, and slammed the door behind her.

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"This girl has one hell of a temper." Whistled Iruka, coming out of the bushes.

Well, now he knew what the commotion was all about. And he was late.

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After wrapping her fingers in band-aids, she got her things together to her solo mission: A small bundle of super sharp thin needles, rope and a handmade blowgun.

"Bye, Karma. Food and water are by the sink if you're hungry. I'll be back before dusk." She closed the door behind her, tying the Hitai- Ate leaf headband around so that the metal part was protecting her heart. She was going on a C- ranked mission, and she needed to be armed for the task.

"_So, all I have to do is bring him back, is that right_?" She had asked the Hokage when he assigned her a mission.

"_Well, alive, that is._"

"_Of course._" 

"_Well then, good luck. Are you sure you want to do this alone?_"

"_I don't want to risk anyone's life but my own._"

He had nodded, agreeing to let Aki go solo.

Well, Aki hoped she wouldn't kill anyone on mistake. She had never done something like this before, but the persona of the Naruto realm was starting to take hold of her. She had almost forgot where she had come from.

But to hell with that for now; she had bigger fish to fry. She pulled out a sheet of rice paper with a photo of her target with his charges against Konoha from inside her vest. She took a moment to study him. 

His name was Kanishishi Otomaru and was wanted for theft, unauthorized entering of Konoha, and the killings of three Anbu. He was at least 6.1 and looked to be in his early twenties. He had a thin but raised scar running from the corner of his left eye down to the lower part of his jugular. Aki scoffed at the picture: if you want to commit crime, don't leave noticeable marks behind. It was an obvious unwritten rule of committing crimes that she had learned by watching so many detective and James Bond movies. From the looks of it, he was a gambling man, and was willing to pay the cost to get his job done, whatever it may be. But Aki had her theories about criminals, if that's what they were called here.

****

Theory 1: There are 2 types of criminals: Professionals and Wannabes. Both are dangerous, but on certain levels. 

****

Theory 2: Wannabes can be as difficult to catch as Professionals, but it can be vice- versa as well.

****

Theory 3: Crime is a two way street.

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Theory 4: Criminals are softer on kids because of their unthreatening appearance, but sometimes it can go rock bottom.

****

Theory 5: Obvious marks make criminals easier to catch.

****

Theory 6: Criminals can and WILL make mistakes.

**Theory 7**: Criminals will ALWAYS be caught.

Aki would have to think of some more, but those guidelines were sufficient enough to help her out on this task. _Wanted for the death of three Anbu_. Jesus, she didn't think it would be **_this _**hard! Oh well, couldn't go back now. She read underneath his charges to where witnesses had seen him, and those who met their untimely demise who spoke little before breath had left their bodies.

__

Has been seen: 

* Near West Sector bathhouses

* Anbu HQ: 2x

* East Sector bathhouses: 4x

* Saké Bar: 10x

* South Sector bathhouses: 12x

So, this dude was nothing more than a drunken pervert! Aki sighed as she shrugged to herself; oh well, it _was _a C- ranked mission. She counted the times he had appeared at the places, and calculated where this guy would be next. Either at South Sector or the Saké Bar, but her chances lied more in the bathhouses. She grinned, a cunning plan already forming in her mind. And anyway, she always preferred the dark for such things.

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It wasn't much to ask; just a glimpse and the occasional saucer of saké

were all he ever wanted in his lonely life. Nobody liked him, and he didn't like anyone, just their shapes. So he had killed three Anbu, big deal. Those were just his orders, nothing more. He just wanted to get his payment so that she could get his hands on a bottle or two, and enjoy some eye candy before he had to be summoned for another killing. It wasn't in his nature, but he was willing to get his hands on money, even if it was blood money.

Kanishishi Otomaru silently left the cover of the shaded trees, and risking being seen in the lamplight, he carefully slid the bathhouse door open a crack, just enough for his pupil to see through. His eyes watered in delight as he watched the bathing girls splash water at each other. He kept his eye on one particular girl; she was so beautiful. Her long hazel hair glimmered with the water that ran through it. He literally melted into a puddle just watching her lather herself under the hot spring waterfall. It felt like years when the girl he had been staring at decided to get out and change.

She wrapped a towel around her body and over her shoulders to catch the dampness of her hair, and walked rather fast to the door. Kanishishi didn't recover in time when the door slid wide open.

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"What?" asked the girl, looking behind her as she slid the door open.

She shrugged and turned back to walk out. No one was there.

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Kanishishi was hiding behind the nearest tree, his legs practically vibrating from the aftershock of almost being caught. That was close, he thought, wiping the sweat off of his brow. He looked around to see the girl walk into a changing house, and he silently crept towards the door that was left ajar. Just his luck! He watched as she slowly dried herself off, and put her clothes back on. She walked to the door, slid it open and closed, and disappeared into the trees.

Kanishishi did not want to lose sight of this girl, for even dressed made him tingle with pleasure. He got up from the side of the changing house, and followed her when he couldn't see her anymore.

"Huh? Where'd she go?" He looked around, unaware of the figure that closed in on him.

__

PHT!

Kanishishi fell to the ground, a steel needle sticking out of his neck. Aki stood above him, shaking her head.

"God, I felt _so _violated, but I guess that measure had to be taken." She plucked out the drugged needle, and bound his wrists and ankles.

"He's too heavy for me to lift, but not for Aoihoshi." She cut her finger on a nearby thorn of a bush. She hated doing this time and again. She'd think of a way to avoid it.

In a gentle tornado of blue smoke and chakra, the giant stingray appeared in front of her.

"Greetings, Aki." He bowed his flat head.

"Hey, Aoihoshi. How's the fin?" She saw that there was still a raised scab where the kunai had struck him during Aki's escape from Gato's headquarters.

"Oh." He waved his fin slightly, "It's almost there. But it still stings."

"Well, when we get back to my place, I put some Numbweed sap on that, okay? But I need your help with something." She pointed at the unconscious Kanishishi.

"Sure." His slid his barbed tail through the bonds, and lifted Kanishishi Otomaru effortlessly into the air.

"Thanks." Aki leapt onto his smooth back, and they were both off into the starry night sky.

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"She did it." The Hokage was shocked at the display of a giant stingray placing a limp body onto the steps of his office.

Aki gave a jaunty salute before flying off back to her apartment. 

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Aoihoshi landed next to her building, and lowered his left fin to let her down.

"Wait here." She ran to the back where the fence was, and vanished for a few moments.

Aoihoshi lay there quietly, looking up when he heard Aki crash into something and swore in her tongue again. She came back a moment later with something that looked like poison ivy, but with thicker leaves. She plucked two off, split them half way, and smeared the sap over the scab that was still throbbing with pain. Instantly, Aoihoshi lowered himself to the dirt in relief.

"Thanks, Aki. It was paining me so much. I didn't know when you would summon me before I went mad with the pain." Aki stroked his eyebrow.

"Meiki sanba." Aoihoshi looked confused, but Aki had only taught him one phrase so far. 

"Means, "You're welcome"." Aki wiped off what little sap had gotten on her hands quickly; she didn't want them to go numb for hours.

"What language is that?" It sounded strange to Aoihoshi's hidden ears.

"Oh, it's one I created myself."

"What's it called?"

"Wasagian. It was for a story I had written, but it kinda went downhill after a while, but I've practiced the language ever since. You take care of yourself, alright?" Aoihoshi nodded, and vanished in a light flurry of blue feathers.

Aki grinned, and went upstairs to bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki stared down at the bills that rested in her hands. 

(_This is all I get, after the embarrassment I went through last night!? Geez…_) well, at least it was enough to buy a second set of wood, this time oak.

After working on a new designed frame, she decided to take a break, and walked through the trees, stopping occasionally to take in the sounds and smells of the place. She had done this when she went to summer camp and participated in a nature program, which was really the only cool thing in her life at the time. She found a nice sunken boulder by the road into town, and lay down on it, playing with her chakra.

"Escuse me?" said a small voice.

Aki turned her sideways head to look at a small boy, a stuffed bunny rabbit hanging in his arm.

"Are you the one they call Ryu?"

"I didn't know I was called that here."

"Are you a magician?"

"Well, kinda." Aki sat up, looking down at the boy.

Smiling, she twirled her fingers, and created a small rainbow chakra bunny.

"Bunny!" The boy watched as the chakra bunny leapt from Aki's open hands and hopped around him.

He squatted down, and the bunny hopped over and sniffed his nose. He reached out to pet the bunny, but when his fingers touched, it exploded into a shower of red sparkles. 

"Bunny?" He looked disappointed, and Aki thought he was about to cry.

To her luck, he didn't. Instead, he curiously picked up one of the vanishing sparkles, and studied it with wide eyes. Aki held her pointer fingers to the ground, and in a clipper motion, she had created a shower of purple chakra flowers and butterflies that danced around him. He giggled and tried to catch one, but each burst into diamond showers.

"So you _were _the one who made the pretty fireworks one night." Aki remembered the dragon.

"Yes. That was me."

"Who was that dragon thing?" The boy was sitting on the dirt, his rabbit slung in between both arms.

"That was Kurai. In his world, he was the God of all things." And from there, she began her story. It was a lame one she had made in the 5th grade, but over the years, she cropped her story to make it better. It was the only short story she could ever write in her life.

As she spoke, she formed Genjutsu images with her chakra to describe and animate scenes. Special effects? Pft, that was unheard of here; all she needed was her imagination and she was set. By the time she had finished her story, a rather large group of little kids had surrounded her, each staring at her was silent awe as they watched her create the stories with her hands.

"Junshi, where are you?" called a motherly voice when the story finished.

The boy with the rabbit moaned.

"Oh, mommy, do I have to go?" He was too into Aki's story.

"Yes, it's suppertime, and your father has been worried as to where you were all day! Come on." He got up rather reluctantly.

"Junshi, huh?" said Aki, walking up to him, "Tell ya what. I'll be here tomorrow, and I'll tell you a new story. How's that?"

The boy brightened up with a smile, and he soon left with the rest of the boys and girls that ran back to their parents for the night. Aki's smile vanished when she saw the affection between parent and child and looked away, the dusk covering her eyes in shadow.

She sat on her roof that night, petting a snoozing Karma that had joined her. She looked at the waning moon, her mind lost in thought. God, she hated when this happened. Would her people be wondering where she had gone? Or was she "erased" back home? Neither gave her comfort. She looked down at the town, lights slowly going out in each apartment. She ran her fingers through her long loose hair, the moon glistening against her slick brilliance like porcelain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, sketch 2 better work!" She was holding her new glider, the same weight strapped in.

"Work, dammit, work!" She revved back the glider, and let it loose.

It's flight time: 1.3 seconds

"Aw, goddammit, why won't it work?!" She went down to collect the pieces.

It turns out that the wood was of poor choice, and it hadn't been curved again. How was she supposed to do it!? Beg?! Negotiate with it?! She felt like banging her head against the nearest object, which, at the moment, was her hammer, but that was just a _little_ too hard for her skull to handle.

Maybe it was because of her uninspirational mind at the moment that she messed up on sketches 3-6. Each was an increasing disaster, until she was almost flat out broke had it not been for the solo missions. She had an increasing pile of bounties growing in Konoha, and was soon asked to take out fully-fledged Chuunin that were wanted people. She was startled at the offer, but she'd do almost anything to get her hands on the oncoming bills that kept pouring into her hands as each man was brought back, stupefied and bound.

Sketch 7 was **_not _**to be a disaster; it was her lucky number. 


	4. Sketch 7: Success or Not?

"What am I getting wrong?" Aki took a sip of her cherry cola as she looked over her six sketches.

"Okay, wood not being bent; that's a top priority. Cloth wasn't good, that doesn't help. Wood was of poor choice; well then, what wood does work?!" She threw her papers down on the kitchen table as she took another sip.

Karma mewed as she leapt onto the table, purring as she rubbed her head into Aki's open hand.

Aki had to think, and for some strange reason, it led her back to her archery classes that she had taken for a brief moment in her lifetime. Wood. Bows bent so that the drawn arrow would get the kinetic energy it needed to fly and strike. Well, what wood was made for bows? Sure, oak had been a good choice, but the British longbow would need massive strength to bend for they could weight up to a 290-pound bow! No, it wasn't oak. What was it?! It was there, somewhere buried in the reference section of her mind. Chestnut; no. Ash; close, but no cigar. Oh, what the hell was it?! Wait, wait! It was on the tip of her tongue..! It was, it was..?!

**__**

YEW!

Yew was the best wood for bows! Aki grabbed some bills, and raced out of the door to the lumberyard for three long stilts of Yew. She came back an hour later, carrying the wood over her right shoulder with a smile of triumph on her smug face. She kicked open the gate, and blowing some wood chips aside, she laid the wood down. The good thing about Yew was that it you cut out a fresh slice from the heartwood out, it provided a bendable management that gave the firing arrow more deadly accuracy and strength, and not much force was needed to pull back the twine. But she wasn't making a bow. 

She reverted back to her archery lectures, and at the time they bored her for she just wanted to shoot something stationary, preferably her worst school enemy, but a trainer's wheel would do. What was it? To bend a bow into it's shape…

"Eureka! That was it! To bend a bow into the shape you wanted, you had to boil the wood to soften it! But where am I going to find a boiler big enough to boil these babies." Already, the cogs in her mind were already in motion.

She came back half an hour later dragging two long iron animal feeders and six butane lighters that caterers used. She pushed and pulled the two feeders so that they were side by side, and using the Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu, she welded the two together, burning out the wall in the middle to create one REALLY **long** feeder. She poured in ten gallons of water, and placed one butane lighter evenly under the iron to boil the water. What a time consumer! She grew impatient as the water burbled, and using a weaker form of the Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu, she had it going in no time. She set her newly cut pieces in to soften up, and went to work making the boards that would hold the wood in place while it was drying. She hammered in nails where it would apply pressure to areas to bend the wood into her specific shape. She had changed her design completely, much closer to De Vinci's flying contraption that never would work; the wings were to be shaped like a bat's. 

Leaving the wood to boil for the next two hours, she got up and left for her rock in the forest, the Story Rock, the children had dubbed it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi had his back to the opposite wall of Aki's apartment, watching her go off into the woods. As he saw her disappear, he snuck around the back, and hopped over the fence into an odd display. Steam was hissing from what looked to be one gigantic animal feeder while rice paper with strange designs were tacked to the fence walls.

"What the-?" It was too confusing to comprehend.

Suddenly, a Genjutsu image appeared out of nowhere.

"Trespasser." The kanji glowed bright red and in the next moment, Kakashi found himself dangling in the trees.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What story are you going to tell us today, Ryu?" Aki had accepted that name; she liked dragons, so what better name?

"Well, this story is of Tristan of Lyonnesse and the terrible dragon that had terrorized King Mark's land for seven long years."

"Excuse me? What's a "king"?"

"Oh, a king was someone who was in complete control over a town, city, even country!"

"Oh, so like, he was a Hokage or something?"

"Yes, actually, you could put it that way. But kinda like a…super Hokage."

"Wow…" breathed a few.

"And back then, in their world, ninjas were called knights, but they were a bit different in many ways that our ninjas are like. For example…" Aki gave her explanations, and then began her story. 

She took it a step further; she now enveloped the entire scenery to match her description in Genjutsu to make them feel like they were really there. She didn't like slaying stories, but this one was an exception for some reason. She also kept it G- rated; she didn't go into a vivid description of exactly how the dragon was slayed in the book she had read it from for she didn't like it nor did she want to scare the kids. She showed the knight defend himself against the dragon's flame breath, then charged in with his sword. She created the squalls of anguished pain as she had imagined them. It apparently had an effect on the kids; they were holding on to each other, fearful at who would could out of the cave. They relaxed when they saw the knight come out, the dragon's tongue gripped in his hand. Then became outraged when he collapsed from exhaustion.

"Aw, c'mon!"

"He took on that mean dragon, and this is what he gets?!" Aki grinned, watching their reactions.

When she finished, the begged her for another, but she simply shook her head with a smile. The sun was already setting, but she promised them another story tomorrow. Boy, would she make an entrance!

Speaking of which, she had to get home to place the wood to bend. She collected her books, and ran for home, a smile glittering her face. A smile that was soon to shatter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki was hard at work; sweat lightly layered on her growing biceps as she rhythmically sanded the finished frame to Seal's "The Beginning". She hammered in the two thick leather harnesses that would support her hips and ankles to keep her straight during flight. She stood back, wiping the sweat off her upper lip as she looked at her finalized craft. She sowed the good thick cloth to the frame, adding double sets of cord to keep it firm. With a black paintbrush, she painted a Yin- Yang of two dragons; one gold, the other black. She nodded in confirmation; the glider was complete!

And Aki was going to test it herself.

"Time to go!" She lifted her glider onto her shoulder, and started the climbing to the Tester Cliff.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was it; no turning back now. Her CD player was hooked onto her belt, the volume turned all the way up. Adrenaline was already pumping through her system, thanks to the high she was getting off of Underworld's "Push Upstairs". Did she want to…no. No way she was turning 'round. The wind picked up, and Aki knew it was time to go. She took a deep breath to calm herself of fear, anticipation and excitement, and began her countdown as she got her running start.

Ten…nine…eight…seven… 

The wind was blowing faster, giving her a boost.

Six…five…four…three… 

Aki started to feel the ground leaving her feet.

Two… 

The cliff edge was at then tip of her toes.

One. 

She jumped off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"**_HOLY CRAP!!!!!_**" Kakashi was minding his own business, sitting on a roof (like you do) and in the corner of his eye, he saw a figure jump off a medium- sized cliff.

Using the roofs like stepping- stones, he sprinted in the figure's direction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki opened her eyes, the wind blowing through her ponytail. She looked down below to see green…wait a minute! **HOLY SHIT; SHE WAS FLYING!! **_SHE DID IT!! _She cried out in victory, but suddenly two realities struck her. 

1. She didn't know how to steer the glider.

2. She had a fear of heights. A terrible fear of them.

Aki's eyeballs shot out of her head like Kenshin's.

"WAH!" She tried to look for a way out, but being up at two hundred feet, it hurts to fall.

(_Okay, calm down. No use getting over this if you're panicking. Think analog stick for steering._)

She remembered how she had played so many hand- eye coordination games on her brother's PS2 when he wasn't awake. How to steer, right. Do NOT push down; that was the first thing. She would be flipping and somersaulting like there was no tomorrow where she would crash to an almost certain death. If you wanted to land, guess you have to circle your landing spot; that's how she got her kite down, so it could apply to this as well. Wanted to go left; push leftwards. Right, the same direction. Okay, Aki thought she could do this.

She pushed the bar slightly to the left. Gradually, she turned to the village, which looked more like a collector's edition on display from where she was in the air. She pushed down lightly, very lightly. She swooped down so fast she thought she was going to spiral to her death. Thankfully, the glider stayed up. She grinned ear to ear, her headphones throbbing to Underworld's "Two Months Off". She soared over the town, the midday sun casting a shadow of her glider wings over the town. People looked up, shocked at what they saw

"Now this is what I call a thrill!" She shouted over the wind to herself.

She soared back to land on the cliff. Nothing could have gone wrong in her mind. Everything went smooth. 

That is, until a kunai sliced through the fabric.

"**_What the- -?!_**" It was too late.

Aki's glider wobbled, then started to make it's woeful descent to the swirling ground below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, God, NO!" Kakashi was running faster than he could have imagined, but in the end, he knew he was too late.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The glider was unbroken; a stroke of luck on her part. But not for her. Blood was dripping down her forehead and out of the side of her unconscious mouth. A black cloaked figure loomed over her, a hand reaching for her.

"**_AKI_**!" Kakashi was running up the side off the hill, not in the least bit out of breath.

The black cloaked Anbu looked up at Kakashi.

"Aki! What happened?!" Kakashi was dragging the glider aside to pull Aki out of the wreckage.

"Forgive me! Please accept my deepest apologies!" The Anbu bowed on his knees in front of Kakashi.

"What happened!" Kakashi was in no mood for delays.

"Forgive me! I mistook her for an enemy!" Even though he was an Anbu, he sure was a weak- willed one.

"I shot the thing down with one of my kunai and after I saw the Hitai- Ate leaf headband from above, I tried my best to stop her fall, but all I could do was create a blanket of chakra to cushion her fall. She rolled with the, whatever that thing is, down the hillside and fell off a jump, crashing down even further. Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" He detangled Aki from the bar of the glider.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi was suspicious of this Anbu; he had never seen one cloaked in black nor state his name to a former higher Anbu.

"Well, I am a doctor. Oh dear God." His voice sounded grave, like he was announcing Aki's deathbed. 

"What?!"

"Her stomach has been punctured. She must have rolled past those small stalagmites! If we don't get her to a hospital soon, her stomach acid will burn right through her skin!" He lifted Aki from the ground, her arms swaying limply.

"We must hurry!" Kakashi was mildly shocked at how fast this Anbu could leap with a person in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A surgical light glared in her face. Just breathing knocked the wind out of her. Shadowed faces surrounded her vision, the gleam of surgical instruments catching her eye. She gasped, and wished to high heaven she hadn't. Not only did it cause her unimaginable pain; the surgeons sped up the sedation process. Haze fogged Aki's vision rather quickly, the bittersweet taste of anesthesia sunken in her mouth. Her world caved into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi hung over his lap, running his fingers through his hair as he sat. What possessed her to do this?! Why hadn't he stopped her!? Well, he didn't know what her plan was until it was too late. He tried to get his mind off the subject, but even Come Come Paradise didn't appeal to him. He slipped the orange book back into his back pocket, and sighed deeply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The head surgeon was a master at technique. He skillfully sutured up the inner stomach wound, placed a non- disintegratable bandage on top of the stitch to keep the acid from burning the wire away, and stitched up the skin that covered her stomach flawlessly. His wide glasses reflected in the dimmed room's surgical light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It was nine hours before the cliched scene of the doctor coming out of the green double doors and shaking his bowed head to signal they've lost her happened.

  
"Is she..?" The head surgeon looked up.

It was the Anbu Kakashi had seen earlier, but now he had unmasked himself. Sorta. He still had all of his surgeon garb on, but Kakashi could see his black eyes behind the large round glasses.

"Oh, she's fine. She came through rather well. She'll be in Recovery for two weeks, at most. You can relax; she's going to be okay." Kakashi wanted to slump down in relief, but instead he nodded.

"Are visitors allowed?"

"Yeah, but I don't see that point. She won't recover from the anesthesia for another three hours, but you're welcome to wait in her room. Excuse me." The doctor walked off, his bushy ponytail of blond hair bouncing with every step.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(_God, am I dead? Just say the word, say I was a moron in doing something this stupid!_)

{I'll say it for him if you want.}

(_Shut it, Sikuliah. I'm not in the mood for your antics at the moment._)

{You never are.}

(_Then maybe I'm dropping a hint, hmm?_)

Light suddenly sliced through her eyelids, and she opened them a millimeter at a time to take in the white light. Okay, so she wasn't dead. She twitched her fingers, and felt an intruder in her wrist; a drip had been inserted into her arm, water probably. She glanced to her left to see that it was actually blood instead. What the hell happened?! Last thing she remembered was…her flying and..! Her glider! Where was it!? Had it been destroyed in the fall?! Oh, goddammit! Goddammit to hell!!

She moaned lightly, feeling the stitches on her abdomen. A blurred figure started to come into focus. Two, really. One with a silver blob while the other had blond bushy hair with short bangs. As her vision came into focus, so did her hearing. She heard the familiar voice of Kakashi, but the other…

The blonde's face came into focus, and the EKG that was monitoring her sped up. The glasses gave it all away.

"Kabu-!" She suddenly passed out. 

The doctor had injected a tranquilizer into the maze of tubing that was connected to her. Little did she know that he had mixed it in with a forget- me- not drug. She would never remember what had happened within the minute of consciousness. If she had, she could have prevented so much from happening. 

Even Hayate's inevitable death.


	5. Of Sand, Sound and Leaf

Her breath fogged against the plastic of the oxygen mask that had been placed on her when Recovery took place. Her mind was swimming in drugs, eating away at her memories.

(_What's… happening to me…?_)

She felt it growing deep within the darkest reaches of her soul; a cage of self bound chakra infecting what lay inside. It throbbed with every heartbeat, making squeamish sounds like a heart sonogram. Slits of red slowly opened behind the toxicated bars, deep thrumming coming from within the void. 

(_NO! We had deal, Sikuliah!_)

{Well, now I'm going back on it.} Black claws sliced through the bars as though they were paper.

(_You're still inside of me! Remember the possibilities_!)

{Screw it. I'll take my chances.} The demon dragon rose up on its hind legs, and brought his claws down on Aki.

"**_AH!_**" Aki's torso swung up, her breathing fast and harsh. Her EKG was off the walls, bleeping like crazy.

She had a hand to her chest, careless of what the monitors said about her heart.

(_Was that a betrayal?_) A worse possibility dawned in her mind.

(_Or was that yet to be?_) She combed out her loose hair to calm herself down.

She felt the drip tube against her forehead, and looked down at her wrist.

"Huh?" She looked around.

"Where…am I?" She didn't need an answer; white was everywhere.

"Konoha hospital? Why here?" She placed her forehead in her hands, her mind straining to remember.

"Aki?" She looked up, "Oh, uh, Kakashi?"

She hadn't noticed him sitting in the corner of the room when she woke up.

"Are you okay, Aki? You gave such a fright." He had a hand on Aki's head.

She swallowed and nodded.

"Just in pain. Where the hell am I?" Kakashi's seen eye drooped down in sadness.

"So, then. It's true."

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

"You seemed to have gotten a concussion and don't remember what happened to you."

"What _are _you talking about? Look, just, what happened to me?!" She was in no mood for delays.

"Well, while you were using that soaring- thingy-"

"Glider." Interjected Aki in a flat tone.

"Glider. Whatever. Well, I saw you flying, how ever weird that was-"

"Just get to the bloody point!" Aki's tension level rose with every wasted second.

"And you fell! I tried to get to you in time, but you already hit rock bottom! I was sure you had died."

Aki sat there, nonplus as she absorbed this information. She reamed her brain for answers, but the questions just kept on coming. Something didn't fit with Kakashi's explanation, but nothing turned up in her mind.

"It was sheer luck that you're still alive!"

Aki said nothing. Her mind was still hooked on what she had seen Sikuliah do. Would it really happen? Or were her nerves getting to her?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had her reasons for not sleeping the next three nights in a row. She was too scared that what she saw was probably going to happen in her sleep, where she was most vulnerable. Her abdomen ached everyday, sometimes growing worse as every minute seemed to crawl by. She was flying…she remembered that much. Oh crap! Where was her glider?! Probably left to rot here she had fallen. Aw, fuck!

Her eyebrows were furrowed as she silently took in the pain. Man, what did she do to deserve this?! Her breathing was uneven and raspy as the pain ate away at her. She wanted so much to accept the welcoming darkness, but for fear of Sikuliah on the loose and rebellious inside of her, she forced herself to stay awake. After a while, she couldn't tell which torture was worse: Getting permanent insomnia or having Sikuliah possess her.

Sakura had been kind enough to visit Aki one day, holding a single Butterfly lily in her hands.

"Hello, Aki- sempai. How are you feeling?" Aki looked at Sakura with a pleasantly shocked face.

" "Aki- sempai"? Hmm, interesting. Well, I've had better days. No broken bones, though." She grinned.

Sakura placed the flower in an already filled vase, and took a seat close to her.

"What happened to you? Kakashi- sensei said something about you flying, and how that was weird and-"Aki put up a hand to silence her, laughing quietly to herself.

Sakura thought she was coughing.

"I'm sure that scarecrow has fiddled around with a few details, but the basic is correct. I had made a glider and was testing out for the first time, and then a kunai shot me down. I didn't know who it was but I fell about…oh, say, 200 ft, perhaps. Maybe more." Sakura looked appalled.

"How did you ever survive?!"

"Luck, really." Or was it something else..?

Aki rid herself of the possibility, and smiled at a stunned Sakura.

"Hey, I'm alive. No need to worry about me getting on fire or something of the sort." Aki coughed for real this time, gripping her stitches, but she didn't let her face show Sakura that she was in pain.

"So, * cough * how's everyone else?"

"Oh." Sakura's voice lowered in tone and went spiteful, "Naruto's being a jerk, as always, and Sasuke…" She paused, a rather dreamy look in her eyes.

Aki could already guess what Inner Sakura was saying.

"Tell me. What do you like about him?"

"Uhwhu, hmm?! What?" She started to get a red tinge in her pale cheeks.

"What do you see in him that makes you like him?"

"Wh- whatever made you th- think that?" Sakura should have practiced controlling her blushing for now she was crimson red in the face.

"Well, I can't help noticing the way you look at him, and don't pretend I haven't heard you talk about him with Ino."

"How do you know Ino?!" Sakura was starting to get suspicious.

"Oh, I met people in Konoha. What, did you think I was living as a hermit?!" joked Aki, saving herself once again from screwing up the manga series.

"You both are life- long rivals, I can tell. As soon as you guys liked the same boy, you both became bitter enemies, but something tells me…"She trailed off.

"What? What?!" Aki shook her head.

"I was just thinking, that's all. Leads me into trouble, it does." Aki grinned.

After some time had passed, Sakura said her goodbyes and left. Aki lay back against her soft pillows, and wondered why these were much more comfortable than the hospital beds back home.

(_Maybe because their reality isn't a bittersweet one. Harsh true, but open._)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi came by to visit Aki some time in the late afternoon. He walked in to find her asleep. 

Aki had finally succumbed to her body's desire, and had slept for an uninterrupted streak of twelve hours. 

He scratched behind his head, a small bundle of Faeire lilies in his other hand. He already saw the flower in the vase, and decided to add his share to it. He decided to wait for her to wake up, and took a seat near the back end of the circular room, pulling out the latest edition of _Come Come Paradise_. 

The hours went, and there was still no sign of her coming to. Kakashi finished with his new edition, slipped it into his back pants pocket and waited, twiddling his thumbs. He continued to stare at an unconscious Aki, and sudden thoughts took hold of his mind, thanks to _Come Come Paradise_. Seeing that no one was around, Kakashi stood up quietly, and walked over to where Aki lay. He continued to stare at her with half- open eyes, wonderments galore. He stated to bend down to Aki.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dampened light started to come through Aki's sleep filled eyes. She thought she was just hallucinating at first, but then she saw the gleam of a leaf headband covering a left eye.

"Uh, Kakashi? What are you doing?" Kakashi stopped mid bend, obviously caught.

He shot backwards, pretending to get rid of a bug that was on her face. 

"I thought I just saw something on you, that's all." A giant sweatdrop formed behind his head.

"Uh- huh." Kakashi knew she wasn't buying it.

"Uh, well. I wanted to say hi and check on you, but you seem to be doing fine, soIhavetogetbacktomyduties,so,bye!" He poofed in a ring of smoke.

Aki shook her head. He was being sly with her; and anyways, what _duties_ did **he** fulfill in his spare time?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki was released a week and a half later, and as soon as she got out from the white double doors, she started to run for the Tester Cliff. She ran out of breath before she even got close.

"Goddammit! Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Aoihoshi appeared.

"Hey, Aki! Boy, what happened to you?"

"Never…mind that. I…need to get…up there fast..."

"Say no more." Aoihoshi swept Aki up onto his back, and within minutes, Aki was standing in front of her collision.

The hole in which the kunai had pierced was torn open more than it should have, but the frame was untouched. The tail was broken though.

"Where the hell's that fucking bastard?! I'll kill him!" Aoihoshi looked confused.

"What happened?"

"I was gliding here, and some stupid Anbu shot me down. Probably thought I was an enemy or something. Fucking A-!" She kicked a rock only to remember she was wearing sandals.

As she swore in Wasagian, Aoihoshi overlooked the scene.

"You could fix that glide- thingy, you know. It only has a tear, and you can mend the wood."

"How?!" Aki was already on the verge of tears.

"Well, you know chakra and how it works. Maybe you can manipulate the dead wood's life cycle, and heal the broken spot. It worked on my fin." He flapped it so Aki could see it.

"That was just herbs I had gotten my hands on. I don't think dead wood can mend on that."

"No, you didn't just use those on me; I could feel your chakra go into my wound and actually mend to scales. If you hadn't, my wound wouldn't have healed for at least half a year, if not more."

Aki stood there, gazing at what she thought were the ruins of her hard work and ambitions, but Aoihoshi had a point; she knew how to manipulate chakra.

Manipulate chakra…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki was walking down the street next day, minding her own business when she heard a familiar boyish voice.

"Th ugly girl's forehead; is she for real, Bro?" It was Konohamaru, the Hokage's heir.

Aki knew what would happen to those words. Sakura suddenly charged down the street like a tiger in pursuit.

"**_GYAAAAAA!_**" Naruto, Konohamaru and his gang ran for their lives.

Aki walked out onto the street to watch them go off, but the next moment, she was running up to a fallen Konohamaru.

"Oh, don't tell me I'm looking at the Tattooed Wonder and his girlfriend." It was the two nin from the Hidden Sand; Temari and Kankuro.

Even though she was considerably higher than the two, she still feared their power.

"Is that a dare?" Kankuro went for his mummy doll that was strapped to his back.

"I don't know. What's your business with the boy here? Is it illegal to run in this place? I didn't know you were in charge."

Kankuro opened his eyes, glaring at Aki.

"Put the boy down, Kankuro."

Kankuro was taken aback.

"How do you know my name?!"

Aki grinned darkly, noticing fear in his voice.

"Oh, trust me. I know more than you think. Put him down."

Kankuro pulled himself together.

"Is that an order?"

"Unless you want your head pummeled in."

"Look, we'll get yelled at, so let's just drop the brat and get out of her." Temari looked frazzled, looking around for someone.

"Temari speaks wisely. Unhand the boy and leave." The blond haired girl looked shocked; Aki smiled at this, "Oh yes. You too."

"Well, let's have some fun before the boss gets here." Konohamaru was choking on his pulled up collar.

Aki was starting to pull something from her inside vest pocket before Naruto charged.

"Naruto, NO!" Too late.

Even before Naruto could reach Kankuro, he had knocked him back without touching him.

"Hey, you pig! You leave him alone or I'll make you pay. Fatass!"

"_Naruto. Ixnay_." Said Aki through her teeth.

Sakura had already grabbed Naruto in a headlock, telling him to shut up.

"Sakura. Let go of him." Aki's voice was calm. Too calm.

"I hate midgets, especially younger ones who are rude. Makes me want to kill them."

"Well then, I hate to burst your dream bubble, but from where I'm standing, you're a _very_ **rude** midget. Does that mean you're going to commit suicide? I'll watch." 

(_Where the hell's Sasuke?! He should be in the trees by now._)

What happened next went in a flash. Kankuro's fist was flying towards Konohamaru, Naruto charged to stop him, and then Konohamaru fell to the ground as Kankuro gripped his wrist in pain.

"Finally, where the hell were you?!" Aki looked up to the tree where the rock had been throw.

Sasuke ignored Aki, and sat on the lowest boughs of the tree, tossing a large pebble in his hand.

"What are you bastards doing on our village?"

Aki looked over to where Temari was staring at Sasuke.

"Chica, don't even think about it." Temari looked shocked again. How did she know she thought Sasuke was handsome?!

Konohamaru, collecting his wits, ran behind Aki and back with Naruto. 

"Wise to run, Kankuro. Or do you want another permanent tattoo on your forehead from him?" Aki pointed to a crouching Sasuke.

"Gah, another guy that pisses me off!"

"Get lost!" Sasuke was in no mood for morons who didn't know the boundaries.

"Punk, get down here. I hate show- offs most of all."

"The hypocrite speaks." Aki's arms were akimbo as she watched him pull off Karasu, the strange mummy thing on his back.

"Kankuro, stop it." Commanded a voice from behind Sasuke.

(_Holy shit! The psycho murderer kid is here!_) Now it was Aki's turn to be scared.

Hanging upside-down from a branch nearby…

Was Gaara.

"You're an embarrassment to our village." He said coldly, his arms crossed.

"Ga- Gaara." Kankuro swallowed hard.

"No excuses. Losing yourself in a fight; how pathetic."

"But-"

"Shut up. I'll kill you." With those serpent eyes, his statement was taken seriously.

"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Kankuro's voice was quaking.

"Yeah, me too. I'm sorry. _Really_ sorry." Temari was no exception.

"Sorry to you guys." Gaara vanished in a whirlwind of leaves.

After a few minutes of explanation passed, Sasuke came to the ground.

"Hey, what's your name."

"You mean me?" said Temari hopefully, blushing.

"No, asshole. Nice try." Aki shook her head, not believing this girl was at an attempt for Sasuke's affection.

Gaara stayed silent for a moment, then…

"Gaara of the Desert. I'm also interested in you, your name?"

" It's Uchiha Sasuke."

They did a stare- off before Naruto intervened.

"**HEY!!! WHAT ABOUT ME?! HUH?!**" Naruto pointed at himself.

"Not interested. Let's go." The three sand nin vanished.

(_Heh. This is getting interesting_.) Sasuke grinned.

Within the shadow of the trees, the three Sound nin stood gazing at the four.

"So, what do you think?" The one sitting on the branch with one visible eye grinned to himself.

"Well, nothing serious. The dark- haired one from the Leaf and the Sand nin with gourd; we better keep our eyes on them." He was about to leave when he caught his eye on Aki.

"Something tells me that _he'll_ want to know about the girl. Keep our eyes on her too."

They vanished in a ring of smoke.

The Chuunin Exam…

Was about to begin…


	6. Preparation for the Exam

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters…* Lip trembles then burst into waterfalls of tears.* IT'S NOT FAIR!! Oh, the Tojo Blade idea comes from Van Helsing, UBER AWESOME movie, but this fanfic. isn't about him. It's about…well, YOU KNOW!! * Slumps down in a corner, blue haze surrounding her. *

Disclaimer dude: Umm, yeah…She doesn't own Naruto.

Kaiyuga: O THEY KNOW THAT!! * Strangles the Disclaimer dude. * DON'T RUB SALT IN THE WOUND, MORON!!!!! * Chucks Disclaimer dude out the window. * Hehehe, learned that from Minority Report, the game. FUN! 

* Remembers chucking people out the windows that are sixty stories high from the ground. * Mwahahaha…this is what'll happen to those unlucky flamers. Boy, will the rag doll effects be funny! Ehem, but back to the fanfic…

KAKASHI!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aw crap! How could I forget?! The Chuunin Exam! Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!" Aki was racing around her apartment, picking up rice papers with concept drawings and empty scrolls.

"If I'm going to protect myself, there are two errands I need to do." She headed for the door, rolling up the concept papers.

Karma cheerfully followed her to the door.

"No; I can't take you with me on this. I can't get you killed." Karma sat in front of her, a look on her face saying, "I can take heat."

Aki stared at her, contemplating what she should do.

"Oh, alright, but don't come crying to me when you're set on fire. Heaven forbid, though." Karma's sonar ears perked up, and skipped alongside Aki as she made her way out of the apartment and into the smithing section of Konoha.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An elderly man with a wispy white beard was hard at work folding his masterpiece sword over for the two hundredth time when a teenage girl approached him offing a rice paper to him.

"Do you think you can make these?" The elderly man scratched what little hair was on the back of his scalp.

"They look complicated. And costly."

"Well, I understand." Aki pulled up the paper and slowly walked away, "Smithing _can _be tricky."

This frosted the old man.

"Hmph! Tricky?!" He snatched the paper from Aki, looking at the different parts, "I could get this done in, oh, say…three hours tops. But it'll be worth…" He stopped talking to himself to see a wad of bills between Aki's thumb and pointer finger.

"Lady, you've got yourself a deal!" He went to the back of his wooden workshop, and began constructing the genesis of a new weapons era.

Aki smiled as she bowed respectfully, and ran off to the Anbu library for her last errand. Well, she had three hours, and maybe it wouldn't take so long to make a Summon scroll.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Through her running, she didn't notice who she had bumped into.

"Umph!" The ninja fell back onto the dirt and slate pavement.

Aki lifted her torso from the ground, and stood up, brushing dust of her vest.

"Oh, geez. I'm so sorry; I didn't see where I was-" She gasped.

"POCKY DUDE?!?!" Indeed, it was the Water Chuunin that Aki had encountered back at Nami no Kuni.

"Huh? Have we met?" He shakily stood up, a hand to his abdomen where Aki had hurtled into him.

"Uh- oh." Aki slowly back away, remembering what ties she had with this guy.

She knew she shouldn't've made eye contact, but it was too late. Before she gave him a chance, she darted past him, spinning the confused Chuunin in circles. What the hell was **he **doing **_here_**?!

"Hey!"

"AIIIEEE!" She didn't know where she was going, as long as she got way from him.

Left and right she went, leaping over lowered carts and ducking low signs like she would never believe.

(B_ut I _**sucked**_ at track!_) Didn't matter; her adrenaline rush got her.

She checked her back every few seconds to see where the Pocky dude was. Man, he was fast! She looked like she was home free! He was getting smaller…!

__

@#!*^**!** **WHAM !**^*!#@

The bridge of Aki's nose collided with a low hanging bamboo pole that held a heavy sign. She fell back, motionless as blood dripped from her right nostril. She clasped a hand to her head and nose, trying to stop the bleeding, but too late. Pocky dude had caught up with her. 

His hand gripped Aki's vest, pulling her up from the ground. She curled up in self- defense, pinching her nose.

"Okay, go on! Pummel the shit out of me!" Through her shielding fingers, Aki saw the scar marks from the barbs Aoihoshi had slapped into his left temple when she was escaping from the Academy of the Wave Country. 

Five, unevenly placed spots that made a semi- diamond marked where the barbs had sunken in and poisoned him badly. She thought, at the time, that she had killed him. Death was a horrific crime in her mind, but it didn't seem so here. You killed when you had to, shrugged it off and went on, except…

"What are you talking about?! I just wanted to say sorry to you, and you ran like you saw a ghost." Aki pulled her fingers away, stilling hanging from her vest.

"Uhh, huh?" Aki didn't get it; he didn't recognize her?!

"Uh, don't you know me?" The Pocky dude shook his head.

"Nope. 'Fraid not." He slipped a Strawberry Pocky into his mouth like a long pink cigarette.

"Oh. Um, what's that scar?" Did she really want him to know?

"This? Don't know. I'm knocked unconscious and the next thing I know, I'm in the hospital with a wrapped up head and my friend telling me I was struck and poisoned by a HUGE stingray, but who knows? What's your name?" His Pocky treat bent down as he moved his jaws to talk.

Uh- oh. Aki knew it would come to this; she had to think fast.

"Uh, umm." She started to back away.

"Wait, don't I know you…?" The Pocky Chuunin bent down with squinted eyes, the memories slowly receding back.

"Uh, I gotta go!" Aki sped off, already wasting a half- an- hour meeting up with this guy.

He stared on, scratching his sun blond hair as he nibbled on his treat.

"Strange genin."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aki stood in front of the Anbu HQ, her backpack slung over her shoulder. Since she had collected so many jounin- ranked bounties, they allowed her to enter, but only in certain parts. The library was one of them, luckily. Taking a deep breath, she strode into the gray dome. It wasn't quiet, but it wasn't as active as a business building in Times Square at 8 in the morning. 

Anbu lounged around the place, some wearing their masks while others had them tied to the side of their heads. A few Anbu secretaries sat a single long white washed desk, typing and jotting down notes and mission assignments for the Anbu "off- duty". Aki approached a feminine Anbu wearing her white Cat mask.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me where the Anbu library is?" Aki couldn't tell the woman's expression from behind the mask.

"Down that hall, two flights down and second door on your right." She went back to typing.

"Thank you." Aki bowed her head, and made her way to the endless ocean of scrolls otherwise known as the Anbu library.

She stood in the threshold, gaping at the heightless shelves stacked with scrolls of old and new. She saw one male Anbu with a dog mask reading one rather large scroll, writing in it as he went. 

(_Maybe he knows how it's done._) Aki took her chances and walked up to the silent Anbu.

The dog mask looked up.

"That's odd." His voice was muffled by it.

"What is?"

"A child like yourself in the Anbu headquarters." He stopped writing kanjis in the scroll and leaned back in his chair.

Aki's forehead twitched to the sound of "child". It made her fell inferior to the one who has spoken it; like they knew more or better than her.

"Can I ask for your help on something?" She tried to give her adult posture to persuade him.

"Like what?"

"Do you know how to write a Summon scroll?" The Anbu jumped in his seat.

"Why do you want to know?!"

"I'd like to make one."

"What for?"

"For _fighting_." She said this as though it were obvious, "and plus, I have some great ideas for ones, too."

"Like what?"

"Well, it's a secret."

"Can't help ya then."

"Alright! Fine; you win. Here's my idea…" Aki said everything in a low hush.

When she was finished, the vibes coming from this guy was stunned and amazed.

"Alright." He voice sounded amused, "I'll teach you how to make one…"

Aki sat across from the Dog Anbu, scribbling down English letters that transformed into kanjis while to Tom Craft's "Happiness". The Anbu stared at her, fixated on her elbow. What was with her skin?

As Aki listened to her CD player, she didn't notice a small spiral of blue chakra curl up the headphone wire. It soon enveloped her headphones, lighting her head up.

"Uh, are you okay?" The Anbu had never seen anything like it before.

"Mmm? Oh, fine! Why?" Aki didn't notice her head ablaze in blue chakra.

"Your head's glowing." He pointed a finger at her head.

"Huh? Oh!" She took off the headphones, and like a lightbulb, her head went out. 

"What is that?"

"Uhh, this is a … music player… that can be carried with you wherever you go." Well, that **_was_** its purpose.

Aki could feel the Anbu staring at her with a blank expression on his face, so she bent her head down, and finished writing up her Summon scroll. 

"There; now to write my name." She jabbed her finger with a pencil she had brought along. Geez, she hated poking herself over and **OVER** **_again_**!

Her slender fingers traced out her name, and the letters swapped places and became kanjis. Instantly, Aki's arm began to burn. But this kind of burn wasn't the boiling- water type kind of burn. This was melting- steel- in- a- volcano burning. Aki gripped her wrist with the bleeding finger, gritting her teeth. The Anbu just watched, his arms crossed.

After a couple of grueling seconds past, Aki brought her hand up, and gasped at the sight. A great rainbow colored dragon spiraled up her forearm, tongue flailing and fire streaming out of its powerful jaws. The colors always changed, probably to her mood. It was gleaming blue and gold right now, tinges of red here and there.

"I guess the scroll's worked. A first timer I've seen. Usually it took a couple of tries to get it in motion." The Anbu scratched behind his head.

"Well, thanks for your help!" Aki left the library, elated at the tattoo.

Seeing that no one else was in the library, the Anbu took off his mask, his wild silvery mane coming undone from the cloth that held it back.

"Good work, Aki." He grinned his special grin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow! You're quick!" Aki picked up the parcel that had been reserved for her.

"Well, yes. But you see," The old man looked at his nails nonchalantly, "The concept wasn't hard for me to grasp at first, but I added a little extra something to the blades." Aki looked surprised.

"You didn't have to do that." She smiled gleefully.

"I was in a good mood." He shrugged as he said it, thinking of the pay he had been given by the girl. Oh, he was in a good mood, alright!

"Thank you **SOOO **much!" Aki ran back to her apartment as fast as she could so she could marvel at her materialized creation.

She yanked the front door open, ran up the stairs, unlocked and closed her apartment door behind her, and placed the parcel on the table. She slowly pulled off the twine, and the paper unfolded itself to reveal at creation she would only have imagined in her dreams.

Sitting on the paper was a set of Tojo blades, sleek and glimmering in the afternoon sunlight. She gingerly took up one, and realized what the old man did. In each of the five curved blades was a written kanji. They marked:

Honor

Adventure

Spirit

Bravery

Dream

And in the epicenter of where the blades met, was the kanji: Destiny. She slipped on the leather harness around her hand, and noticed that it fit perfectly. She felt the shield boss of the Tojo blade in her palm, and saw a small reel resting against her wrist. She pulled out some of the cord from where the blades were attached to, and was amazed at how the man had wrapped up threads of steel and silver into a flawless twine to control the movement of the weapon. Then again, she could manipulate the twine to direct the blade anywhere she wanted.

She slowly let the Tojo blade roll to the ground, watching how it spun as it ran down the wire. With a sharp jerk of her hand, the blade zipped right back up the twine and went back into place.

"Wow…"

She was now armed to take on the Chuunin exam, but there as one last thing to do before she went to meet up with Team 7.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where's Ryu?" Junshi was holding his bunny doll again.

"She said she wouldn't be late." Another started to whimper.

"Betcha she was lying to us!" Junshi looked up at the boy.

"She'd never! She said she was goi-"

"LOOK!"

Everyone looked up to see what looked to be giant bat wings circling the rock. The children didn't run, but instead were mesmerized by who was coming down. The wings landed short of Story Rock, perched on the ground like a dragonfly. And coming from underneath the wings was…

"Howdy! Sorry I'm late." Aki jauntily waved a hand.

"RYU!" All of the kids ran up to her, making a waist high fence around Aki.

"Where were you?"

"What is that?"

"What story are you going to tell us today?"

"Is that a tattoo?"

"Whoa, calm down! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth; I'm still here. Well, I had been absent for a while from an accident, but I hate to break it to you guys…"

"What?" Junshi didn't like her tone of voice.

"I've been enrolled into the Chuunin Exam." Groans and aw-s were heard.

"Oh, why couldn't you wait until next year?!"

"We'll miss your stories!"

"You'll never miss them, because they're right here." She pointed at a kid's forehead and heart.

"The story I'll tell you about is one I'm creating. I'll tell you what I have created, and you tell me how it's going, hmm?" Aki had squatted down to the kid's heights.

They eagerly took their spots, and were tuned in onto Aki.

"Well, where should I begin? At the beginning, I suppose. There was once a small girl, not much older than yourselves, whose life was very troubled. As the years went by, she had…" 

It was a story never to be finished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sorry it took so long to get the next chapter out! Partially it was writer's block (CURSE THEM) but I've also been working on my novel, as **HokugenShadowWolf** knows all too well. If you want to read it, you'll have to wait two years + another two for those damn publishers take FOR- EVER to make up their minds! * Sighes * Oh, well. Can't be helped.

To all warring e- mailers:

**__**

WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS?!?!?!?

* Panting heavily * Grrrr….Lilim, how's the report coming?

* Furry creature with long ears and feet and BIG eyes, scuttle over to Kaiyuga, wearing a pair of scientific spectacles and a comically large pencil behind one ear. * 

Lilim: @*$*&^#!&%&#^*&@^$*@&^#*@#*#&^%$#&%^*!^!*&#^%*&^%*@&$.

Kaiyuga: Okay, keep at it. We must find those other blueprints, but where could **Lakohta **be keeping them..?

Orochimaru: Do you have any purple eyeshadow?

Kaiyuga: * Blinks* Uhhhh, Orochimaru? Why do you have an……………**_AFRO?!_**

Orochimaru: * Patting his **HUGE** afro * Don't you think it looks _lovely_? * Kaiyuga cringes at how Orochimaru said that word * Now, do you have any purple eyeshadow?

Kaiyuga: *Sighes and puts a hand to her head, pinching her eyelids * She's got him too…

Orochimaru: Maybe I should dye the afro purple. * cackles evilly, lightning streaking behind him *

* Kaiyuga finally gets an idea, and hides something behind her back.*

Kaiyuga: * In a sing- song voice * Oh, Orochimaaaaaaaruuuuuuu. I have some eyeshadow, come here. * Orochimaru approaches her hungrily for the eyeshadow * 

Oro.: Where?! WHERE?! Gimme!

Kaiyuga: * Parental voice* Only if you say "please".

Oro.: Please? Please!? PLEASE!

Kaiyuga: Okay. * Slams PCICIFP onto his head, knocking him out cold * Well, I _do _need a test subject for my creation. * Drags dazed Orochimaru off into the darkness. * Lilim, let's get that machine finished! Ahora!


	7. What Lies Underneath Ink and Paper

Author's Note: {Groveling at the audience's feet} I'm SOOOOOO SORRY!! I didn't mean to take forever!! Go on; kick the crap outta me!

{Audience feels ashamed and forgives Kaiyuga}

Kaiyuga: Well, that went better than I expected. I should do this more often.

{Audience beats up Kaiyuga.}

Kaiyuga: ARGH! Hey, if you beat me up you can't see the fanfic.!

Audience: O,O Oh, yeah! That's right! {Gets into their seats}

Kaiyuga: {Raises a hand over the podium to lift herself up from the ground}{Breathing hoarsely} Right…..here…..you…..are….. {Presses magic button and slumps back on the ground unconscious}

Audience: =.=; {Fixated on the screen (yeah, that's right! Got me self a plasma screen so that you're not looking at black and white anymore! Go me!}

Author's note: I don't own Naruto, but I DO own Eurecium!! He's my original character….well, bad guy, really….

* * *

"_He rose up on his hind legs, looming over Takna with a malice flaring in his beady yellow eyes. Takna had nowhere to go; he either had to face the dragon or throw himself into the gorge that was brimming with lava. The denizen squalled at Takna, impatient at his delay. It charged, tongue flailing out like a snake. Takna waited until the last possible moment, and leapt up into the air. He then pulled out his blessed bow and drew back to fire at the vulnerable beast, but-_"

"Aki!" The pen flipped out of her grasp as she cringed at the banging on her apartment door.

"Ugh. Goddammit, don't you know patience!? I was at the best part!"

"Unless you want to fail the exam, I suggest you get your hindquarters out here now!" Aki emphasized her sigh as she shut her writing journal and picked up her already armed arsenal- in- a- bag.

She slid the Tojo blade yo- yo harnesses on her forearms, and adjusted the straps on her backpack.

"Aki! Come on!"

"I'm comin'! I'm comin'! Hang on!" She went into her bathroom to get her meds. Apparently, after she had left the hospital, her stomachaches grew worse, but the doctors and she didn't know why. The pills they gave her lessened the pain. She called it "Naruto Aleve" as a joke, but that's really what they were. __

Karma snaked around her heels, excited about what was to happen in a couple of hours.

"I'm warning you, Karma. This is no _pleasure cruise_. This is serious; someone could get killed. Hell, I know who!"

"Aki! Come on already!"

Aki sighed and slid her new headphones over her ears, and began to listen to Cait Sith's theme from FF VII. She bobbed her head to the beat as she unlocked the door to stand in front of Kakashi.

"Sorry I'm late?" Kakashi sighed and they left.

Walking along the way, Aki got bored, and actually started playing yo- yo with the Tojo blades, but only with the shield bosses. She didn't want to slice off her hand out of sheer boredom. Hey, at least she would get a little practice on how to use them, right? Her staff bobbed in its sheath peacefully with every step.

**............**

Kakashi was started to get annoyed at how a golden object flew past his shoulder every few seconds.

"Would you stop that?!"

"What?"

"It's bothering me!"

"Is anything the matter, Kakashi?"

"No." Liar.

Of course something was the matter! Ever since he came close to kissing Aki in the hospital, he had never forgiven himself for being so stupid! Wrong setting, wrong mood, what else!? A dark cloud appeared over his head, and Aki knew something embarrassing was eating away at him. She kept silent and continued her yo- yo thing.

**…………**

"Right. There's no turning back now." Aki approached Team 7.

Sasuke nodded, Naruto jabbered as usual and Sakura smiled as Aki came near.

"Let's go then." They went to the testing building where Phase 1 of the Chuunin Exam was to commence.

Even though Aki was a soothsayer in this realm, she was still nervous. She pulled out her headphones and switched over to Daft Punk's Cosmo Vitelli Remix of "Face to Face". She hardly took notice of the fight that was happening out of Room 207. She knew it was only a Genjutsu, and she grinned.

"What a lame trick." Everyone stopped and stared at her.

"What did you say?" One of the ninja at the door scowled at Aki.

She put on Stance # 7: The Smug Look. She placed a hand on her loose hip and shook her head lightly.

"Incasing this whole place in a Genjutsu; what a pathetic trick." As she said so, the room spun and the sign switched from 307 to 207.

The two nin glared at Aki and started towards her.

"If you want your noses cut off, then by all means, keep moving forward." Aki hooked her CD player to her belt and placed a finger of the trigger that released the Tojo blades.

"And what would a genin possibly do to us?" They grinned, but what shocked them was that Aki was grinning too.

"More than you can imagine." She took her stance, poised to attack the moment they strike.

(I have time, so let's have some fun. Naruto and the others are already downstairs facing off with Rock Lee, so this is my turn.) The crowd now surrounded her and the two nin.

"What's wrong?" Karma came slinking up next to Aki, "Cat got your tongue?"

The two suddenly charged, fists at the ready. Aki had already tapped the trigger and everyone jumped at the sight of the blades firing out of the once harmless shield bosses. She flung the spinning saw blades forward, and missed, but she had a trick up her sleeve.

The two nin were centimeters away from her, and had successfully dodged her blades, leaving her vulnerable. Aki jerked her wrists back, and the blades were now wrapped around the nin's bodies, poised to slice them into ribbons if they moved any closer.

"Ah ah ah!" Aki wagged a finger at them, grinning.

Since she would have won too easily, Aki released them from her clawed prison, and leapt over their backs as they tried to make a move for her. The two nin crashed into the human ring, knocking down stray genins. Aki shook her head, and switched her headphones over to Daft Punk's "Fresh". Nothing existed in her world as the beat pumped in her ears. She began bobbing her head in rhythm to the beat, watching as the two got up with glares plastered to their faces. She happily grinned as she bounced on the balls of her feet, her hands loosely behind her back. It was her way of giving her opponent a taunt.

They charged against, but this time used the "Divide and Conquer" method. Aki ducked the first guy, and slid aside as the second one miscalculated their hit, and slammed his fist into his partner's face. Aki was bumping her hips to the beat now, her grin growing by the second. The two had had it, and now charged with kunai. Aki tsked, and slightly dropped a shoulder at a time while listening to her music. At the last possible moment, Aki flung her Tojo yo-yos at a low hanging beam, and swung herself up and the boys crashed right into the door, knocking themselves out.

Aki triumphantly landed, her saws spinning back into their holster and the blades retracting back into the shield bosses. The genins gawked at Aki, both horrified and amazing. Aki fanned out her ponytail as she turned and left. One genin swore that he saw her pet air.

**…………**

"Aki! Where have you been?" Sakura took notice of Aki when she had slid open the door and entered where the rest of the testies were waiting.

"I, uh…had some bad traffic…" Aki turned and her heart stopped.

Everything in the room seemed to pause she her eyes locked upon the one person she liked once and hated now: Kabuto. What should she do? Should she freak him out by calling his name before introductions? What about his "connections"? Or should she play it out like the manga does, acting like the dumb fool? She decided to go with the third option, however stupid it may have been. If she had made the wrong choice, the manga series would have been a flop. So, she hoped she wouldn't get caught in here for her choices.

"So, we wait?" Sakura looked aimlessly around at the various genin that ranged from 15 to 64.

"I guess so." Aki sighed as she looked around, her arms hooked over her staff that balanced behind her shoulders.

Her observant eyes caught the three Sound genin, Dosu squatting in front of the other two. Aki grinned, and whispered his name very quietly. The mummy kid's head swung around frantically, looking for the person who spoke his name. Aki giggled, and made eye contact with his one visible eye.

The vibe she sent him made him quiver slightly.

(_Oh, we're going to have _**so**_ much fun, Dosu…_) Aki's grin darkened.

**…………**

Kakashi was staring at the backpack that lay in his hands. Rule was that testers weren't allowed to bring in packs of any sort until the second trial of the Exam. Evidently, Aki hadn't gotten that memo, and was POed at the fact that she couldn't have her CD player to listen to. So, she had asked Kakashi to hold it for her, at which Kakashi secretly blushed, scratched the back of his head and agreed.

He was now squatting on the ground, holding the black pack in his hands. Checking to see no one was around, his curiosity drove him to look at what Aki had. He placed the bag on the ground as though it were a volatile bomb waiting to go off, and slowly pulled down one of the zippers.

Inside was a cornucopia of wonders. Kakashi decided to do a "Grab- in- bag" technique, and pulled out Aki's CD player. He stared at it with mild curiosity lingering on his face, turning over to see electrical tape over were the battery slot was. Scratching his bushy silver mane, Kakashi gingerly lifted the headphones to his ears and pressed every button before Play. He found the button, and heard a small beeping sound, and which a slightly twitched. He saw the silver disk come to life, numbers and blinking icons flashing on the microscopic screen. The number showed 4 on the screen, and Kakashi waited. Was it going to explode?

In a way, it did.

Kakashi was thrown back against the wall, trying to tear off the headphones. Aki always liked her music loud to get her high off it, and didn't think to turn the volume down. Kakashi finally got his fingers around the headphones wires, and plucked the stereos from his ears. The music still pounded through the headset, playing Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." He clasped his hands to his aching head, trying to get rid of the rhythmic pain that pulsed in his brain.

"What is that?! A demon music box?!" Hastily finding the Stop button, Kakashi shoved the demon music box back into the bag, and became more cautious as he pillaged through it.

He found some normal stuff: a bundle of scrolls, blank and filled, a spare kunai and shuriken here and there, but then the abnormalities came back. He saw three notepads covered in writing, a leather bound book with a strange looking writing utensil (ballpoint pen) attached to its side, a stack of books that had to be read backwards, a strange portable camera, a normal picture camera and three overturned photographs. Kakashi started out with the photos first. In the tiny stack, Kakashi looked at the top one to see a cute black kitten staring at him. The one underneath was one that made him think.

It was Aki, but unlike he had seen her before, she was smiling. Not any smile, but a passionate smile of jubilance; something he hadn't seen blossom in her face. What amazed him (and possibly scared him) is how Aki looked. She looked normal in his eyes, but the two people in the picture besides her looked…weird. Inhuman, almost.

He turned it over to see a date that made him jump:

_Aki and Friends_

_6/26/2004_

**_2004?! _**Kakashi tried to ignore the numbers as he went to the final picture, and became shell shocked at what he saw.

It was him!

What was he doing in her backpack?! Kakashi was planning to take the picture when he remembered something; it was her bag, her stuff, not his. He had to respect that. Taking one last look at the photos, he neatly tucked them into an inside pocket of the pack, and continued looking at the pieces of Aki's life. He took out a notepad, and flipped through a couple of pages, until one sentence caught his eye:

_"The brighter a light shines, the darker a shadow becomes…" Eurecium grinned darkly, his vampire fangs resting on his lower lip._

At that point, Kakashi was entranced as he read on, flipping page after page. He had devoured through the three notepads in under ten minutes, his shoulders dropping when there was no more and it was cut in a middle of a sentence:

"_He then pulled out his blessed bow and drew back to fire at the vulnerable beast, but-_" Kakashi sighed as he put the three notepads back into the bag of wonders, and then lifted up the journal.

He had no idea what he was holding in his hands.

**…………**

Aki sat on the ground, her eyes closed as she intook the sounds and scents that were infesting the room.

"Aki?" She didn't respond.

"Uh, Aki." Her brow furrowed.

"Aki?"

"WHAT?!" She didn't mean to explode, but she had a shot patience level.

"Ummm, you're glowing." Sakura was blushing as she pointed out that little tidbit.

Aki looked around to see dozens of eyes staring at her, puzzled behind mask, headband and shadow. While concentrating, Aki didn't know she had released her chakra flow, allowing it to consume her outline in a brilliant blue and gold display that formed something between a Japanese Long and a Phoenix.

"Heh heh…." Aki scratched behind her head and sweatdropped.

Aki had to learn about the On/Off switch on chakra when she was meditating or being creative. She got up, stretched out, groaned at the pain in her stomach and moved to the back wall. If she had X- ray vision, she and Kakashi were back to back, separated by a half an inch of wood. They could have been miles away from each other for what each end was experiencing.

**…………**

Kakashi stared, wide eyed as he read each journal page with great caution, fear and confusion. One caught his eye:

"**_Day 3: Oh boy..._**_  
  
I don't know how much I've steered this manga off course, but what's worse, I'm becoming more cartoon than human, but is this really reality? What is reality? Is it like beauty? 'In the eyes of the beholder'? I've gone so far into this place that I may just be living a lie. Well, that's partially true. I still can't bring myself to say to Kakashi, or anyone for that matter, that I'm not really from this realm. Am I an illusion....? Could it be...that I might be...dreaming this whole thing up in a desperate attempt of escapism..?_

_Okay, scratch the dreaming bit. But how is it...that in two days, I'm almost as powerful as Kakashi, **EVEN** though I'm injured? Too much RPing? Jujitsu practices? Maybe, like I said to myself before, Tit for Tat. My skin condition for power. My skin is so fragile that if I get too many cuts, I'm dead. Literally_.

One got his attention rather easily. This one made his heart race:

Day 6: Here we go… 

_Okay, what can I deduce? First, it IS possible, seeing for myself, that someone can trade realms, BUT it is **TOTALLY, COSMOSICALLY COINCIDENTAL**!!! Second, certain things switch with the Traveler, as I name them, seeing that I'm the first. Third, life is still at risk no matter where you go, even if it's La- La Land (insanity can get the better of you after a while). Fourth, I KNOW I'm not insane, but this is pretty crazy to begin with. Fifth, it's basically reality here, even if the Traveler is unfamiliar with it. Sixth, where I am, I'm messing with fragile and messy things, so Travelers have to be **ABSOLUTLY** careful with their actions (think time- space continuum.) And last, (I guess) goes with personal life. It's highly **UNLIKLY** that a Traveler will make a lasting relationship in a different realm, because they are probably going to leave in a short amount of time that is not of their choice._

At this point, Kakashi slammed the tiny leather book closed, and spun the leather cord back around the silver dragon button, his breathing uneven from fear. She was telling the truth?!

He should have known what he was holding in his hand._  
  
_


	8. Hidden Leaf meets Hidden Danger

"Man, I _really _wish I had my CD player on me…." Aki was resting her cheek on her fist, sighing as she watched with a Kakashi-ish look on her face as Dosu attacked Kabuto and watched him keel over from the Sound attack.

            She heaved another sign as she bobbed her head to songs that she remembered, such as Daft Punk's remix of "Aerodynamic" or the untitled album song she had crossed over called only "Johnai".

**…………**

            Ibiki totally ignored Aki as the door swung open and hit her in the face.

"What's going on here?!"

(_Not much, Crater Head_!) Aki squeezed herself out of the small opening, and joined up with Team 7.

            As Ibiki was blah- blah- blahing away on the importance of the test and how he and some others were to monitor them, when Aki looked over her shoulder and her heart froze.

            Kabuto was grinning, but not in the determined sense. It was the dark kind of grin.

**…………**

            Aki sat down in spot 7.

(_Alotta 7's, huh_?) She looked around as the variety of genin came in.

            Aki sat daydreamish as Ibiki tried to influence his mental torture on the testers, but Aki just yawned, and imagined a scene she was going to write in her pad when she got it back from Drill Head.

"You may begin now."

            Aki tore the tape from her test, and opened it up to see kanjis exploding in her face. The air of tension was starting to ebb at her confidence, but she kept calm, took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

(_This scene…this was when…_) Aki suddenly grinned with her eyes closed, and secretly performed a hand jutsu.

(_Heh…I don't know how long it will take everyone else to catch on_…)

(_Scan no Jutsu._)

            They were only five minutes into the test.

**…………**

            Naruto bit down on his eraser furiously as he contemplated the possibilities. How could he get **these** answers?! The only way he could get them was to cheat, but that was against rules, and he'd get caught and banished from taking the Exam ever again. No, he was going to have to calm down, and think this one out.

            Sasuke, Gaara and Neji were already ahead of the game, using various techniques to get their answers. Sasuke was using his Sharingan while Neji used the Byakugan. Gaara stuck with his Sand Third Eye technique, sneaking answers from the sheet. Aki was already leaning back in her chair, dropping her pencil on top of her almost finished test. She knew what question ten was, so she had no worries as to give up. Naruto would banish the fear from the room with his ninja saying, and Ibiki would bow his head saying they all passed, and show his heads in explanation. Aki would have to get ready for that.

            All did happen within the next twenty minutes, and Aki bowed her head as though to sneeze as Ibiki pulled off his headband to reveal corkscrew wounds and burned flesh when he was questioned in his "outdoor" years. When Anko swung into the room, Aki sighed and bit her fingernail in boredom as Anko made her flashy entrance. Ibiki noticed this while Anko was talking, and when the Genin were dismissed, Ibiki went outside to speak with Kakashi.

**…………**

            He stared at his hand, the leather bound book sitting innocently in his palm. His mind was racing with thoughts that rushed in quickly and zoomed into conclusions. His Anbu quick- thinking had started up, and he needed to sort this out manually.

            So, she **was **telling the truth? Or was she just playing with his mind again? No, why would she carry it around? Did she know he was to read it? Well, she was a soothsayer in this world, but…no, she couldn't have known…She could have saved herself in many situations back at Nami no Kuni, so, she couldn't predict her own future?

            Maybe.

            His thoughts were scattered as Ibiki came out from the testing room.

"I take it it's over?"

"Yes, you're team passed with flying colors. Especially Naruto."

"Well, can't blame him, I suppose." Kakashi scratched the back of his head.

"Though, I must speak to you." Ibiki's voice went cold…serious…something Kakashi didn't like.

"W- what?"

"It's to do with your new pupil, Berokunta." Kakashi went blue in the face in apprehensive fear; another good reason he wore the mask.

"I watched her take the exam, and, she wasn't caught at all, but she was utterly laid back and relaxed, as though she knew what was to happen. She wasn't the least bit shocked, surprised or scared when Anko made her appearance, and stared at her as though she knew her quite well."

"R- really?" Kakashi couldn't fool Ibiki.

"Kakashi, you must tell me who she is."

"She was an orphan." Lie #1.

"She had lived in Konoha for sixteen years." Lie #2.

"Kakashi, please." Being head of interrogation and torture, Ibiki had his way to get to the truth, "We are friends. We don't hide from each other." Ibiki placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

            Kakashi glanced down at the leather book in his hand and took a deep breath.

"Well…"

**…………**

"Finally! What took you so long?!" Aki slung her backpack over her shoulder as they waited to enter "The Forest of Death".

            When Anko had said that, Aki couldn't help but whisper in a mockingly dubious tone "_Forest__ of __Death__. Ooooo, sthcary_!"

            Aki was looking around aimlessly when she caught it, and she was paralyzed with fear.

            Now she remembered who that Grass Genin over there was. His thin, lifeless eyes turned, and Aki was deadlocked in a stare with none other than Orochimaru in disguise. Her heart literally stopped as every drop of sanity and reasoning was swept away in his serpentine eyes. This was a crucial decision; should she reveal who's behind the mask of flesh or bail out?! She could feel his black chakra seethe towards her like a python ready to strike. Should she fluke an accident and pull at the skin mask to reveal the villain?

            Time and reality swung back into balance as Anko gave the teams their orders, and next thing they knew, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were given a Heaven Scroll and their goal was to get the Earth scroll from passerbys a.k.a. other Genin. They strolled over to their chosen gate, and waited for Anko's signal to enter.

"Uhhh, anyone know where Aki is?"

**_WHOOSH!!_**

****

**GO!**

            Team 7 leapt into the boundaries of the forest as Aki flew over them, the wind streaming her many-braided hair.

"At this rate, I'll make it there in an hour! Course, I'll have to wait **FIVE** fricken' days from the rest to catch up!" Aki looked down into the cascade of green.

            Forming a hand seal, Aki closed her eyes.

"Scan no Jutsu!" The darkness in her eyes exploded into a carbon copy of the forest, rushing through the trees for groups of chakra.

"AHA! Target number 1!" Aki opened her eyes, and quietly made her descent back to the ground.

**…………**

"So, what's the plan, Kiba?" The dog boy looked over his shoulder at the bug Genin, Shino.

            Akamaru barked, and Kiba turned to face his dog.

"What is it?"

            Akamaru whimpered slightly.

"K- Kiba…" Hinata was suddenly uncomfortable.

"What is it?" He stood up and faced the white- eyed Hyuuga girl.

"What's Akamaru s- saying?"

            Akamaru hid his tail between his legs, and crawled behind Kiba.

"He says someone powerful is drawing near." The three of them took their stances in defense.

            Shino heard a sudden rustle in the bushes nearby, and snapped his head in the direction of the sound. Akamaru whimpered as Kiba, Hinata and Shino slowly approached the restless bush. It stopped suddenly, and a squirrel crawled out.

"Baka Akamaru! You got us worked up for nothing!"

            Something roared, and leapt out from the bushes, black stripes against a blue tiger body. It flew over their heads and skidded a 180° to face them, snarling as its fur stood on end.

"AH!" Hinata ducked as Kiba struck out.

            The tiger creature snapped his snarling jaws at Kiba with a squall, and sent shivers down his back. A zinging sound was heard, and Kiba came in contact with a human bashing ball. He was thrown back as a saw blade shot out, and wrapped itself around a tree limb, and pulled the person into the cover of the leaves.

"KIBA!" Shino and Hinata followed after his dust trail.

            He was dazed, his imprint in a huge tree. The other two came by to check on him when they heard a sneering giggle, something Naruto would make.

"Neener neener neener!" Up in the tree's lowest boughs squatted Aki.

            She was giggling mischievously, unable to control it. Shino glared behind his black spectacles while Hinata looked shocked.

"Looking for this?" She wagged an Earth Scroll in her hand.

"What the-?!"

"H- how did she-?!"

"Heh. Sticky Fingers no Jutsu! Comes in handy." She cleared her throat as she tossed aside one small braid.

"Well, have fun trying to get Kiba up! I doubt it will be easy…" She grinned and leapt off into the understory of the forest.

"Huh?" Hinata scratched her navy blue hair, "What does s- she mean by that?"

"Dammit! I can't get Kiba up. And our scroll's been taken!" Shino swore to himself as he tried with all his might to lift up the dead weight Kiba.

            Neither of them knew that a Stone Tag had been plastered to Kiba's backside when Aki had swung into him. And the only way to remove the effect was to remove the tag.

**…………**

            Aki landed on the ground floor, and stared at the green scroll in her hands. It was lucky that she knew what was inside, or else her curiosity would have knocked her out for the remaining five days of the second part of the exam, and would have flunked. She flipped the scroll into the air, and slid it into her backpack. Well, their 1st objective was complete: Get the opposite scroll to yours. Now it was: Get to huge, inconspicuous tower in the center of the forest.

            She chuckled to herself, pleased at her entrance and began to walk in the direction of the tower when a tall figure landed in front of her, black hair sweeping behind his head. Aki's laughter was cut off, for she knew who was hiding under the hat.

"So, you know who I am, don't you….." The thin face grinned.

            Aki could feel her legs being nailed to the ground as the figure approached her. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Fear had grasped her consciousness as the Grass genin was millimeters away from her. He slid a paper thin hand down the side of her face, and she could feel the death-like cold against her living cheek. The genin grinned, and a set of viper fangs grew from in between his unusually white teeth.

            Aki couldn't move in time.

**…………**

**"**Okay, Tenten, Lee." They both looked up at Neji.

"We'll split up for an hour to collect water and provisions, and meet back here. No excuses." Tenten and Lee nodded, and went in their own directions.

            Neji was just about to leave when he sensed it. His Byakugan never left anything to chance. He scowled into the forest, and saw the most peculiar thing through his white eyes. He saw a set of chakras, one black as night while the other was a mesh of colors. The black chakra started for the rainbow chakra's neck, and Neji saw, with utmost disgust and horror, black chakra being inserted into the rainbow's stream. He hesitated to move; this person wasn't any of his business, but with a sickening pit in his stomach, he knew that something was wrong.

**…………**

            Aki was on the ground, panting and trying to hold herself up. The Grass genin above grinned as his fangs retracted.

"Now you see…" He held out his hand, "Join me."

            Aki looked at his hand, and in a furious swipe, she had bitten down on his finger. He screamed in pain, and smartly slapped her in the face. Aki flew back onto the grass, trying to get air. The genin glared, and Aki cried out in pain.

"You should be feeling it by now…." He grinned.

(_The Curse Seal's in effect._) He laughed to himself.

"What seal?" Aki rose up from the ground, grinning.

"What the-?!" Aki pulled back her vest collar.

            Sure enough, all he had bitten through was cloth and headband, but no flesh.

"But you were-?!"

"Acting?" Aki smirked.

            She crouched down on the grass like a tiger, and using the tweaked version of Henge no Jutsu, she roared at him, her face changing into draconic only for a moment. A blue streak shot out from the bushes, and tackled down the genin, tearing open one eye. He knocked the creature back, and glared at Aki, who gasped in horror.

            Some of the flesh had been torn away, and a bright yellow serpentine eye gleamed.

"Don't think you'll get away with this!" The genin leapt into the trees, "We'll se each other again!"

"_Very soon..._" He whispered to himself.

            Aki suddenly fell to the ground, and hurled up her stomach in relived fear.


	9. The Curse Seal and Chakra Song

PLZplzplzplzplzplzplzplzplz REVIEW!! {gasp} I cannot write without reviews! {drags herslef across the flor, gasping for breath} DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO HAVE ANOTHER BLOODY WRITER'S BLOCK?!

Audience: {Vigorously shakes their heads}

I thought as much! At least send in {holds up nine fingers} TEN...{Adds a finger} TEN REVIEWS to continue!! AND NO FLAMIES!! Flayme will get you for it, and I will summon Raid of Iron Terror blah blah blah....and so forth...

SO PLZ REVIEW!!

Thanks **Kiroi Kitsune13, HokugenShadowWolf, KakashiLvr, Yellow Di **and the rest of ya for your continuous support through **VFR**! Now help me along with **SFD,** alright?!

* * *

Aki had to tie herself to a tree as she watched Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura fight Orochimaru. She bit her lip until it bled from the frustration that she could have prevented Sasuke's Curse Seal and Kyubi's seal. She finally surrendered to her desire, and came down from the cover of the trees when Sakura had placed an unconscious Naruto and Sasuke side by side.

…………

Sakura poured some cool water on a spare rag and dampened Sasuke's feverish head. Tears soaked her cheeks, her mind still fixed on his screaming image.

"Hey." Sakura's head swung up to see Aki crouched on an upturned root, her staff sticking out of her hand.

"Aki?! Where have you been?!" Aki tried to lighten the mood.

"Oh, here and there…" She slid down the root, and squatted down to inspect Sasuke, "I'm sorry…"

Sakura shook her head.

"I should have protected him. Instead, I grew fearful and hesitated to move."

"Fear grips us all. Even to our last breath. But we mustn't let it rule our lives, Sakura." Aki went into her vest pocket, and pulled out a blue leaf.

"You must learn this quickly. Otherwise, not only will your life be in danger, but so will your comrades." Aki broke the leaf, and spread the sap over Sasuke's Adam's apple.

His breathing calmed down, but his forehead was still painted in sweat.

"Keep guard while I tend to them." Sakura nodded and went a certain distance outside of the root's safety.

"_I swear, Dosu, you will _certainly_ get a beating from me_." Aki whispered her vow as she positioned Naruto's neck so that he could breathe a little easier.

She suddenly heard voices, and looked up to see Dosu, Zaku and Kin standing in front of Sakura, revealing one of her traps. A second trap appeared; a large tied log swung out to smack them away, but Dosu blew the wood to pieces with soundwaves. Aki rose to her feet, snatching her staff.

"Sakura! Get back, ahora!" Sakura slightly panicked and withdrew behind Aki.

"So, how's life….Dosu?" The mummy scarecrow jumped.

Aki laughed darkly with a passion growing in her vocal cords.

"Oh yes, I know you….and you, Zaku, ever used those to cool off?" The plug hand nin's skin crawled in fear.

"How do I know your names?" Aki casually shrugged.

"Pft. Another show off." Dosu, Zaku and Kin squatted down to attack.

"Kill them!" They leapt into the air.

"If you want to kill someone, you better talk to him." Aki pointed above them.

"KONOHA SENPUU!!" All three sound nin were slammed into the ground by a green leg.

Rock Lee landed on the grass, and stood up in front of Aki.

"Finally! I was beginning to worry." Lee taunted the sound nins, and the fight commenced.

"Need help?"

"I can handle this! You just stay back and protect Sakura!" Aki shrugged, and held back.

Aki stayed back until Lee faltered and fell to the ground, losing his stomach and his right inner membrane started to bleed.

(_He's been struck with sound. My turn._) Aki walked in front of Lee.

"Bueya huen!" Aki flipped her hand twice as her taunt.

Zaku was going to face her off, but Kin held out an arm and shook her head.

"This girl's mine." Aki grinned, and slipped her headphones to George Michael's "Amazing".

Now she was getting her music high.

Her chakra spiraled up the headphone wire, and soon her entire body was covered in an outline of chakra. Aki bobbed her head, another taunt to fight. Kin was shocked beyond words as to what she was seeing.

"Come on, Freckle Pants; want a hair cut? Pollo?"

"What did you call _me_?"

"Chicken? Are you chicken?" Aki started to mildly impersonate one.

Kin's eyes flared, and she charged.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Aki shook her head as she went straight through her and into a tree.

"A shadow clone?!" Kin shook her head.

The clone above her started to play the air guitar in mocking her.

"Fell for that one." The voice surrounded the three of them.

"Which one, which one…" Tuschi looked frantically in the trees.

"Heh…"

"KAGE BUSHIN TOJOKEN NO JUTSU!"

"What did she-!?" Dosu's question was answered when a hailstorm of Tojo yo- yo blades shot out from the trees, and aimed for Kin.

"KIN, LOOK OUT!" Zaku slid in front of her, and blew the blades away with his Zankuuha.

He only blew away the frontal charge, and one slid against his side, cutting vest and flesh. Kin heard a zing, and stood rigid in fear as she felt the ice of a blade cut into the warmth of her blood.

"OoooOoooOoo. Nice hairdo!" Kin felt behind her back, and her hand was drenched in her blood and hair strands. It was a good four feet shorter and was unevenly cut.

Aki laughed mischievously from the trees.

"Stop playing these childish games and come down!" Kin was in a berserker rage.

"Fair enough."

How she said that, Dosu got an uneasy feeling.

"Uh, Kin-"

"SHUT UP!"

"I don't think-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" **_WHAM!_**

Kin was run down as Aki barreled rolled down a tree like an armadillo, and zipped back up another tree. Dosu and Zaku threw kunai into the area she had hidden in, and a body landed.

"Pft. Too easy." Sakura gasped, covering her mouth.

Dosu went up to kick Aki's head to make sure she was dead when the body went poof.

"What the-?!" Aki suddenly slammed an upper cut that made the bandages around his mouth seep with blood.

"Too slow, Dosu!" Aki slammed an elbow into his gut, and positioning her feet behind his, slammed a palm fist into his chest, sending him flying backwards.

"HA!" Aki grinned at the sight of Dosu implanted into a tree, but soon changed.

"GUH!" She spat out blood, falling to her knees.

Her hands were gripped around her mid- line, a horrible feeling flaming in her stomach.

(_Wha- what's…going on?! My stomach, it feels… like… snakes are inside!_) The taste of liquid iron was fresh on her tongue.

Zaku saw this tiny window of opportunity, and performed his Zankuuha on Aki. Her body was flung into an upturned pillar of stone, and she lay on the ground, blood seeping underneath her head. Sakura thought Aki was playing dead, but when she threw her shuriken at Dosu and were blew back at her, and her hair was taken hostage by Kin, she knew Aki was down for the count. Her CD player continued to play.

"What are you trying to be? A sexy ninja?" Kin gripped Sakura's hair tightly in her fist, grinning with contempt.

Sakura let it out: How everyone had protected her, how she had always stayed in the backseat when fighting, how she always was in the way. Not this time, She thought. She pulled out one of her kunai, and gripped it with all of her force.

"Pft. That's useless against me." Sakura grinned.

"What are you talking about?" In a quick swipe, Sakura had slashed her hair off.

Anyone who was conscious at that moment was rooted to the ground in shock. Hidden in the bushes, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were dumbstruck at what happened. Kin had her hands on a bushel of hair, tongue- tied at what Sakura had sacrificed. Zaku and Dosu were frozen in surprise, Lee barely got past a confused look and Aki still lay still.

Sakura's headband clattered on the dirt. She remembered how she had held herself as a proud ninja, how she had lectured Naruto as though he was a lowlife and how in the end, all she ever saw of them were their backs. She desired to be one of them. This was her climax.

"KIN! KILL HER!" Sakura was too quick for the Sound nin.

Performing two hand seals, she dodged Kin's attack with Kawarimi no Jutsu. Zaku pulled out his shuriken and prepared for Sakura, who charged him head on with a handful of kunai that she flung out in his direction. He blew them back, and the daggers impaled themselves into a hunk of wood.

"Above." Zaku snatched a handful of kunai and threw them up at Sakura, which pierced right through her rosy flesh and stayed in her arms and knees.

"Heh, where are you now?" Zaku hadn't realized Sakura was still coming at him.

"What the-?!" Sakura landed right on top of him and drove the kunai right through his right arm.

In a frenzy induced by Sakura's drive to prove herself, she clamped her teeth onto Zaku's forearm. He screamed in pain, and furiously swiped at Sakura to release him, but all in vain.

…………

Flashes of the past shot through Ino's mind as she saw Sakura get the daylights slapped out of her and yet she still hung on. She remembered when they became friends, when they became rivals and when they swore never to lose to each other. What should she do?

…………

Sakura was flung off of Zaku and landed a small distance away from him, her face bruised and covered in blood. Zaku performed a hand seal and was about to finish her off when Ino, Choji and Shikamaru slid out from the cover of the bushes.

"Great. More weirdos have appeared."

…………

Aki slowly opened her eyes to hear the sounds of punches being taken and shouts being swapped like cards.

"Sas….uke….The seal…." Aki knew what was to happen in a few short moments.

"I think….I'll pass out….again, thanks…." Aki's head dropped.

…………

It was unlike anything Sakura had even seen, much less, the rest of the fighters. His entire left flank was covered in black tattoos that resembled flames.

"I am an avenger…." He glared at Zaku with a demonic madness that consumed his Sharingan eyes.

By this point, Neji and Tenten had intervened to look for Lee, and were now witnesses to Sasuke's ungodly rage as he let the power course through his young body.

"Ino, return to your body! We're hiding!" Shikamaru ran off with Ino's unconscious body, and Choji followed.

(_Release!_) Ino's spirit spewed out of Kin and returned to her own body.

…………

Sasuke's glare darken, the wrinkles in his nose increased as he snarled. The tattoos spread over his face like an epidemic disaster of small pocks.

Dosu was connecting two and two when Zaku snapped him back to reality.

"No need to fear, Dosu! I'll handle this half dead freak!"

"No, Zaku, wait! Don't you realize-?!" Too late…

"ZANKUUKYOKUHA!!" A massive explosion of air pressure issued from the holes in his hands, sending anything it's its wake to an eternal oblivion.

Everyone ducked their heads as debris flew in all directions, striking anything in its way. The dust cleared up, and Zaku was standing, his hands still out.

"Heh! I've blown him away."

"Blown who away?" A cold voice slithered behind him.

In a sudden and hypersonic speed, Sasuke slapped backhanded at Zaku, sending him high into the air. He slapped his hands together, and mustered up enough chakra.

"Katon Housenka!" Blades of fire shot from his mouth at a fallen Zaku.

"Heh. I can just blow these away!" He was preparing to fire when he noticed a crucial factor; shuriken were hidden in the flames.

They struck him at an unreal speed, cutting through his vest and skin. While that was Sasuke's decoy, and slid underneath Zaku.

"ZAKU, BELOW YOU!!" Dosu was too late.

"Huh?" All he saw was the shadow of Sasuke before he stopped short, his eyes bugging out.

Sasuke was breathing in an inhuman pace, an insane grin possessing his tattooed mouth. He had a foot on Zaku's back while he held both of his arms behind him.

"So, you're proud of these two arms?" His eyes were livid with the demonic influence.

Snapping Zaku's wrists, Sasuke slammed his foot into the square of Zaku's back. A gruesome sound of bone and muscle tissue breaking was heard, and Zaku fell to the dirt, twitching from the pain.

Sasuke's eyes swiveled over to the lone Dosu.

"I hope you will let me have more fun…" His intimidating pose left nothing to question.

This wasn't Sasuke.

…………

Sakura couldn't bear to watch any longer. This wasn't him; it couldn't be! This can't be Sasuke! She, in a suicidal rush, latched onto Sasuke, wrapping her arms around his chest.

"STOP!" She desperately cried, tears flying from her eyes.

To her surprise, he did. His Sharingan eyes turned to look into her damp ivy ones.

"Please…stop…"

Slowly, the tattoo vanished from his left flank. When they had vanished entirely, he fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

"You are strong." Dosu held out his team's Earth Scroll, "We cannot defeat you at this time."

"Please take it as a gift. Let us leave." Dosu picked up Kin and Zaku and started to walk off with them, when Sakura asked about their motives.

Dosu said he could not answer and left without another word.

…………

Aki came back to consciousness as Dosu was walking off with his teammates in his arms.

"Freckle Pants." She whispered, but she didn't move anything except her lips in a smile.

She knew Dosu had heard her. When she sensed they were gone, Aki stood up, cracked her neck twice, and walked over to the aftermath sequence, knowing what should happen was done with.

"Lee. Lee, come on. You gotta get up." Aki slipped an arm underneath Lee, and he was surprised to see himself dangling a few inches from the ground, thanks to Aki's 5.6 height.

Naruto woke up suddenly, and was ranting on about where the Grass genin was, and how Sakura looked different. Shikamaru shook his head, not wanting to explain what had happen a few minutes ago.

Aki placed Lee down on the ground, and pulled out a piece of cotton soaked in an antiseptic herb.

"Man, they did a number on your ear." She inserted the cotton, and let it sit, "Don't you know cotton would be effective against the Sound?"

Tenten came down.

"I'll take it from here." He pulled Lee up by his shoulders and vigorously shook him.

"Hey, HEY! Don't so that! You'll give him a cranium blood cocktail." Aki spun a finger at her temple.

Tenten ignored her as Lee came to.

"How could you be such an idiot?!"

"Haha, can't disagree with you there." Lee wrapped his arms around his folded legs.

"OOH! It's Thickbrows!" Aki slapped a hand to her temple.

"Naruto." Aki's voice was WAY to calm.

"What?"

"Duck."

"What?!" **WHAM!**

"Don't you DARE be rude to Lee!!" Sakura's punch made Naruto skid into the ground.

"Told ya." Aki pinched her eyelids with one hand.

…………

Night had fallen, the stars wielding the sky overhead. Naruto was snoring in a corner of a large tree, but Sakura was awake. She sat close to Sasuke, watching the stars. She replayed what had happened that day, how she had grown. Her arm was bandaged and small band-aids were scattered all over her body. She looked down at Sasuke who was lying stoically on the ground. She touched a lock of his hair as she continued gazing.

Then she heard it.

Like a snake charmer, she heard music coming from rather close by. Sakura looked around, but an explosion of blue chakra told her what was going on. Aki was singing again.

In a high branch that gave a bird's eyes view of fifty miles of land, Aki was singing her hymn to the night sky. Her chakra was in halloed wisps of an electric blue while green vines of chakra cloaked her shoulders. Her outline was shining in a calm blue while purple wings of chakra rested on her back, giving off small showers of red and white.

Sakura listened, hypnotized by Aki's sultry voice and the lyrics she sang from Anggun's "Secret of the Sea":

"_Callin 'cross the blue  
It's all I do  
One day you'll come back to me  
It's a secret of the sea  
I'll always love yooou  
Alwaaaaays_

I see,  
Floating on the ocean  
Somewhere under the sun  
Your golden skin  
In cypress and blue  
  
I hear,  
Waves that come rolling in  
Fleetness of wings  
A sound is missing  
A sign from you  
  
Callin 'cross the blue  
It's all I do  
One day you'll come back to me  
It's a secret of the sea  
I'll always love you   
I may never know  
Where you did go  
Whataver took you from here  
On these currents that run deep  
I'll always love yooooou  
Alwaaaays

We would,  
Sail into that big sky  
Forget about the time  
On the wind we would ride  
Watchin' wild birds sweep and glide  
  
I'll linger just a little more  
Drifting on a foreign shore  
Spend my nights  
Waiting out the tides  
  
Callin 'cross the blue  
It's all I do  
One day you'll come back to me  
It's a secret of the sea  
I'll always love yooooooou  
I may never know  
Where you did go  
Whataver took you from here  
On these currents that run deep  
I'll always love yooooooou

Alwaaaaays

Callin 'cross the blue  
It's all I do  
One day you'll come back to me  
It's a secret of the sea  
I'll always love yooooooou  
I may never know  
Where you did go  
Whataver took you from here  
On these currents that run deep  
I'll always love yooooooooou

I'll always love yoooooooou

I'll always love yoooooooou

I will al- waaaays…"


	10. WHAT THE?

WARNING: Short, but FREEEEEEEAKY chapter! MORE REVIEWS, POR FAVOR!!

And no, **Cyn Wraith**, I have **NO** intention **WHATSOEVER **to stop **NOW**! Are you f&cking kidding me? I'M ONNA ROLL!

* * *

In the distance, a light shined.

…………

"Nyoink!" Aki snatched the Mist shinobi's Heaven Scroll, "I'll take that, thank you."

Kicking him in the back, she leapt into the trees, leaving three very dazed Kirigakure ninjas in the clearing. Flipping the faint yellow scroll in her hand, she slipped it in her backpack, and was on her way to the tower. It was a good day; she had kicked off at least four teams and was getting an increasing pile of scrolls.

She fanned out her hair, and retied it again, fixing her green glasses. Her staff was sheathed and her Tojo blades were resting against the palms of her hands. She had decided to take it easy a little, since her stomach was still acting up. She didn't know what was causing it, and it always seemed to happen when she was fighting.

Aki shrugged and went her way, whistling to "Start the Commotion".

She didn't know that Destiny hadn't stopped toying with her mind.

…………

Everyone always called her Kage.

She never knew why; they just did. Maybe it was because she had hated loneliness and had always followed one step behind everyone else. She had moved all over the globe, sometimes even out of country. She had moved from France to the US, and was very anti social for she knew her mother might want to move closer to her job again.

She was always anti- social for fear of a broken heart, but she was a vibe person; she couldn't help being attracted to the good ones.

Though, today wasn't her day. She was wondering where her friend was to break the news to her; she was moving back to Maine. She knew that her friend hadn't been at school for at least two days. One said that she was under house arrest, and Kage had laughed at the joke, but now…

She went back to her house after school, and collected a few items to cheer her friend up. Her custom made stereos, which were small but packed a powerful punch, were placed underneath the bright red scarf and wolf plushie. She pulled back the drawstring and flipped the satchel flap over. She grabbed her bike helmet, and rode off, making sure her mother wasn't going to drag her back.

When she got there, the door was unlocked.

"Hello?" She gently tapped on the door.

She carefully walked in, and avoided the cats that greeted her with relief more than joy.

"Huh?" Kage walked over to the counter in the kitchen.

A blue ceramic cup was holding down a yellow note. Kage pushed the cup aside and read the note:

Christo!

If we're not here by the time you get back from work, we're out looking for your sister! She's run away!

Mom

"SHE **_WHAT?!_**" Kage dropped the note and ran out the door, closing and locking it so that the cats wouldn't escape.

Where could she be?! She reverted to the conversations she had with her friend.

"I hate this school……Wish it could burn down…"

"Why am I here again?"

"Wish I could burn it……"

"**_Wish I could burn it…_**"

HOLY CRAP!! That's where she was! Kage pedaled faster than her track skills could master. What the **hell **was she doing _there?!_ She got to the building and dropped her bike as she ran to the gym doors. They were locked. She tried the entrance. Locked.

Why the school, of all places?!

She looked up at the hill, and noticed something gleaming in the setting sun. Scrambling up the hill, she gasped.

Lying on the grass was a knife.

She bent down, and saw that it was clean of blood. So was the grass. She did see, however, footprints. Sandal footprints. Checking so see no one was around, she followed them out of the school grounds, and into the surrounding forest, gripping her satchel in shivered anticipation.

It was then she found it.

The strange hole in the forestry wall.

"Huh? I don't remember that being there." Kage scratched her head, and approached the hole.

A cold breeze moaned from the entrance, making Kage's legs quake in sickening fear. She wanted to turn around……and yet, she couldn't.

She drew closer, closer still. What was this feeling? It wasn't good, but nor was it bad. It was like the lion was saying, "Come here" to the mouse, "I'm not gonna hurt cha."

"_Come. Come closer……_" Kage's legs refused to listen to their brain.

"_No, closer…Closer, yesssss…_" Kage was entranced by this opening.

She outstretched her hand, and as soon as her fingers touched the shadow of the hole, her body was sucked in, leaving nothing of her behind.

…………

"**HUH?!**" Aki woke up instantly, sharply turning her head.

It was midday, the sun soaring patiently through the sky. Aki was breathing in short jets, and a drop or two of sweat slid down her face.

(_What was that feeling..?_) She ran a hand through her bangs.

"I must be dreaming things…" As much as she wanted to believe it, her words contradicted her feelings.

Swallowing hard, Aki reached into her backpack and pulled out her photos. Kakashi was grinning, as always, which made Aki stop for a moment and melt. Her karma cat was normal to her eyes, glancing up at her with her googly eyes, and looked up at her new kitten, Karma, which was snoozing on the grass in front of her feet. She then lipped to the last picture that contained her friends and her.

She took a short glance, but her heart froze, and with a squeamish pit in her stomach, her eyes swiveled back to the picture, wide with horror and incredulity.

"NO WAY…" Her eyebrow twitched in fear.

"This can't be…" She stared at the photo.

"This is..!"

…………

She was tumbling through darkness, gravity off duty. She gripped her satchel like she was hanging on to the last bit of sanity she knew. Light suddenly exploded upon her, and gravity had evidently returned. She was now falling from the sky, and at an alarming rate, none the less.

Through the flimsy wisps of cloud, she squinted and saw green rushing into her face. Wind whipped at her eyeballs and tears streamed behind her as she fell into a rather large and dark forest.

It was like the clocks had slowed down, and everything has reduced to a crawl, except her. Her abdomen was the first to make contact. She slammed into a thick branch, knocking the wind out of her. She started to slide, and desperately tried to cling onto the bark, but with no air to power her muscles, she slipped off and fell a good fifty feet until her back smashed into another bough. She cried out in pain, blood lightly spraying from her mouth. She limply slumped off that branch and fell through weaker twigs as her body smashed against the ground, burying her in twigs and leaves.

Blood started to leave from where her head could be seen.

…………

"What was that?!" Aki glared into the trees.

(_I heard a scream…_) With a horrible feeling writhing in her stomach, she felt as though she knew the creator of that outcry.

"Karma, we're off!" Aki leapt into the tree branches, and started to leap like a cat towards the epicenter of the cry.

Her cat trilled slightly, shook her head, and jumped after her.

(_Let me be wrong…Please, be wrong…_) Aki's thoughts grew more desperate as she came closer to the yelp of pain.

She slid short as she saw it.

Lying on the grass in a clearing, was a feminine body covered in branches. With her heart having hysterics, Aki slowly inched towards the body. Something was wrong.

VERY wrong.

"Hey." Aki whispered, more out of fear than the apprehension of getting caught.

"…"

"Hey. You alive?"

"…"

Aki circled her body once very slowly like a tiger inspecting its kill. She bent down, and prodded the shoulder with a finger. A short exhale of breath was enough evidence for Aki that this person was still in this world.

"This doesn't feel right…" Aki started to pull back branches.

Strands of blonde hair covered in blood somehow woven themselves into the wood, and Aki had a hard time of pulling them off. She noticed this person had a taste for dyed hair; two very large underbangs of hair were first blonde, then a forest green, then an electric blue finished them.

Aki, seeing the blood, pulled bigger branches off and swept away the rest of the small stuff. A small puddle of blood had seeped from the stranger's mouth, her hair covering her face like a fanned leaf. Heaving the body over, Aki pulled back the hair to check the face.

She finally knew how a senior citizen felt when their heart has the death attack.

…………

"This...this can't...can't be possible…..." If Aki's eyes could have gone any wider, her eye sockets would break.

Lying in front of her, unconscious with a line of blood running down her right cheek, was…

"**_KAGE?!_**"


	11. What is Lying in the Darkness

**Kaiyuga:** VIVA **VISITOR FROM REALITY**!! VIVA **STRANGER FROM DREAM**!!!

**RVFN (Random Voice from Nowhere)**: She's had a bad day… {Pats Kaiyuga's back}

**Kaiyuga: _YO! _**Lazy ass supporters! WHERE ARE YA?! I'm losing inspiration!

{Dramatic spotlight on Kaiyuga, resting a hand on her forehead}

**Kaiyuga: **Woe is thee! WOE IS THY!! Art this to be thy's ending?! THYST shall perish, so cometh, O death!

{Lights return to normal with a click}

**Kaiyuga: **{=.=} KakashiLvr? What. Are you doing?

**KakashiLvr: **{Looks frazzled, Pocky sticks all over her hair} YOU!

**Kaiyuga: **Me?

**KakashiLvr: **YOU! {Points a finger at her}

**Kaiyuga: **Me.

**KakashiLvr:** {Gonna explode any second} You-?! What are you doing?

**Kaiyuga:** Eh? {Hides **Kohaku- san**, who she was previously strangling, behind her back} Ooooooooooh, nothing!

**KakashiLvr: **I demand a rematch! {Pulls out a spork (spoon fork)}

**Kaiyuga: **Eh. Don't feel like it.

**KakashiLvr: **WHA-?!

**Kaiyuga: **{Forms a hand seal while sighing} La Mano no Jutsu.

**KakashiLvr: **What the-?! {Gets blown away with **Kaiyuga** slapping the air in front of her}

**KakashiLvr: **Youuuuu'lllll paaaaaaaaaayyy foooooorr thiiiiiiiiissss!!!!!

**Kaiyuga: **{Sigh} Whuteva. Infatuated ego. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

**Kohaku- san**, don't ever, **EVER**, hit Kakashi- dono! {Summons 5 Raids of Iron Terror on **Kohaku- san**, and bury her in a grave of PCICIFP's}

* * *

Aki lightly shook Kage, but no response came from her. She dragged Kage's body out of the open, and Aki pulled off her vest so her head would be supported.

"This is gonna be the worst wake up call of her life."

Aki took care of the small abrasions and cuts, but left Kage to tend to the big ones when she woke up. She sat beside her, and whipping out her journal, she flipped the pen cap open, and began to scribble down stuff as though it was her final hour.

_Day 36: HOLY SHIT!_

_ It's been 36 days to the count, and things have gone as they were in the story... (Maybe) but then something that is virtually impossible to imagine just happened. Another Traveler has arrived. Better yet, I KNOW THE TRAVELER! It's the person I would least think possible to arrive HERE, of all places. It's Kage._

_ You remember Kage, right? The friend who I had bonded with in about five minutes, and had beliefs that she was my long lost sister or something? Well, she's here, and this is getting scarier by the minute. Also, Team 7 should have met up with Kabuto by now.........bastard...I'm just roaming on my own as a satellite to Team 7 since I think I'll attract unwanted trouble to the team. It also clears my mind...Pft, screw that now! Now it's back to DAY 1! Sheesh...pretending to sulk Why me...?_

_ But what am I going to tell her when she-_

Aki stopped writing and heard a moan come from Kage. Aki swallowed, put on the pen cap and slipped her journal back in her backpack. She watched Kage's eyes slowly open, and Aki mentally gasped.

Kage's eyes had already accustomed to the Naruto realm; they were a beautiful pair of Tiger Eye brown and orange.

"_Oh, my God_..." Aki whispered to herself, edging back as Kage began to take in her surroundings.

"Uhhhhhnn? Where..? Huh?" Kage tried to get up, but the prominent black and blue on her side told her different.

"AH! What the hell?" Kage looked down at her side and saw the bruise, but what was worse, she couldn't see the scar.

_She had been biking on her own that day, crossing four lanes highways just to get a change of a quarter for all she cared. She had biked all over France, and now wanted to get to know her new town. She stared at the nature of the town, the beauty of the shops neatly lined up and blazing terra cotta in the afternoon sunlight. _

_ And then it happened._

_ The screech of tires, the pungent smell of burning rubber and the heart- chattering crunch of metal against metal. She could remember the fear that paralyzed her nerves, the anticipation of death clinging to her mind. This was the end, she thought. She could taste blood in her mouth, and she couldn't move. Smoke billowed into her eyes, and gagged her lungs. She coughed, and cried for help, but her feeble pleas could barley be heard past the roar of gasoline fire spewing from the overturned car's engine._

_ The paramedics had dragged her into sunlight, and it was as though it was her time, how white the sun had shone in those very few moments. From what her blackening eyes could see was a hodgepodge of cars smashed against each other like a horrible clay figure that had melted in the sun. _

_ She didn't suffer near- fatal wounds, and was out the next day with stitches in her side. It was when they had taken out the stitches three weeks later, did she notice the scar. It wasn't bright red; it was just barely darken than her normal beech wood complexion. The scar had fifty-two stitches, the small red dots lining the raised wound. The scar, though, was in the shape of a sickle._

Kage couldn't see it. It had just…vanished. She wildly looked around at her side, and finally noticed her hand. She twitched it, and became horrified. Her hand looked as though a drop of turpentine would wipe her out of existence.

"WHA?!" Her mind was beginning to get clogged in questions.

"Kage! KAGE! Aw crap. KAGE, snap outta it! KAGE! Ah, Jesus." Aki pulled out her water bottle, unscrewed the cap and threw a good amount on Kage's face.

She spluttered and gasped, calming down.

"Kage. Are we calm?" She looked up at who was speaking and jumped five feet off the ground.

"AK- AKI?!" She nodded once quietly.

"What?! Where?! Orrooooo...." Kage was one who was easily confused.

"Uhhhh......." How was Aki gonna explain **this **one?

"Oww. My side hurts." Kage lightly gripped her black and blue.

"Yeah, you did take a nasty fall back there." Aki coaxed Kage to lie back down.

"You won't be able to move for awhile. 'Bout I day, I suppose." Aki recapped her water bottle, and slid it back into her backpack.

Kage gritted her teeth as she lay back down, and Aki leaned against the tree Kage was lying under, and allowed the sounds to consume her. The nature's lullaby drifted her into sleep.

{_S_ooooo_, she's your friend_?}

(Shut it, Sikuliah.)

{_OoOoOoOoOo, touched a nerve, have we?_}

(I said, "Shut up". Comprendes?)

{How tragic; to have your friend involved in this mind game....She really is a simple minded person-}

(I SAID **SHUT UP**!)

{_Myyyy, aren't we restless today_?}Sikuliah spoke with a voice of poisoned honey.

(Did you get a word of what I just said?! SHUT! UP!)

{_Tsk, tsk, tsk. Someone ought to teach that mouth of yours..._} Aki suddenly keeled over in her mind, gasping for breath.

The red eyes flickered.

{_Someone like..._} Aki got another mental blow.

The red eyes flared.

{_Me..._}

Aki's eyes whipped opened, sweat lightly sneaking down her brow. A hand gripped her stomach, and she couldn't see straight.

Kage was quietly resting, curled up partially with her red scarf.

Aki scuttled to get up, and gripped another tree to support herself as she just managed to breathe.

(_Wha- what's going on!? My chest....oh, God, my chest feels so tight...I can't breathe..._) Aki coughed and heaved, trying to get a breath as though she was underwater.

The extreme pain was fleeting and Aki slumped to the ground, saliva dripping from her lip as she clutched her stomach.

(_What is he trying to do..?_) Aki just let the saliva drain from her mouth and the pain to vanish.

Wiping her mouth, Aki staggered as she got up, but dragged herself over to her pack, and pulled out a few items.

"This is the only way." Aki held a kunai in her hand.

With a slash and a cry, red was splattered onto the grass.

**............**

Kage rubbed her eyes as she woke up, listening to the sounds of birds. The image started to come into focus, and Kage was wondering what was standing in front of her.

"Morning, sport!" Aki's grinning face made Kage jump.

"Sleep well? I see you brought your scarf." Kage held the material in her hands.

"Huh? Where....where am I?" Aki sweat dropped.

"Well, have any others in your head ever told you you were dreaming?" She grinned widely.

Kage just stared, baffled by what she was told.

"I guess not..." She shrugged and got up.

"Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute!" Aki grabbed Kage and pulled her off to the side.

"What? Can't I do anything in my dreams?"

"Ummmm, not really. See, your sense of reality binds you to certain rules, like gravity. But as for me, you have not bound those rules to me. Get it?"

Kage slowly nodded, then shook her head. Aki sighed.

"Here, let me show you." Aki walked up to a nearby tree, performed a hand seal, and placed a foot on the tree.

"NO WAY!" Soon, Aki was a good twenty feet in the air, hanging upside down from the branch.

"See what I mean?" Kage ran up to the tree, "What're you doing?"

Kage paid no attention, but took a running start, and pressed a foot into the tree as she tried it out herself.

"UUWAAAAAHHH!!!!" She crashed into the ground.

Sighing, Aki nonchalantly walked down the side of the tree, her arms behind her back. She cleared her throat.

"Now, do we know WHY that happened?" Aki smiled with her eyes closed.

Kage's eyes returned to normal, and slowly shook her head.

"Rules. You don't know how to break the rules yet." Aki walked off the tree, and helped 18 year- old Kage to her feet.

"We gotta go; sun's almost out."

"Huh?" Questions marks buzzed around Kage's head.

"Just don't ask and come with me. Oh wait." Aki scanned Kage.

"Before we go anywhere, we need to get you outta those clothes." Kage looked down at herself.

What was wrong with her Levy's?

**…………**

Aki lay in wait for her prey to come. She gripped the branch with her hands tightly like a bird's talons.

(_Come on, just a little closer…_) The three Grass genin went on their lunch brake and sat down on a few sunken boulders.

(_Perfect._) Aki whipped out a kunai, and rested it against the single taut rope.

Down below, Kage was waylaying one of the genin to come along. Remembering what Aki had told her, she deliberately stepped out from the bushes, a shuriken resting between two fingers. She flung it with amazing accuracy, and missed a female Grass genin by millimeters.

She dropped her bag of chips and glared at a strangely dressed teenager.

"YOU!" She pulled out a handful of kunai.

"Uh oh…." Kage started to back away.

(_AKI NEVER MENTIONED THIS!!_) The girl started to come forward, her two other following behind.

Kage spun around and ran for it, hysterically screaming. The three charged, shouting a battle cry.

"_Three. Two. ONE!_" Aki dug the blade into the rope, and the trap was set off.

The three genin were swept up into the trees by a makeshift net. The female genin tried to slash it open, but noticed white strands flowing through the rope. The rope finally stopped and they were dangling six feet above them. Aki jumped down from the trees, and admired their handiwork alongside Kage.

"Tsk tsk tsk…Can't believe they fell for that one." Aki shook her head, grinning.

Kage couldn't help but smirk, seeing the squirming nin in the net like flies in a spider web.

"YOU!"

"Can't you say anything else?" Aki and Kage snickered.

"Shall we?" Kage nodded in reply.

She started to perform some quick hand seals as the female nin in the net was about to throw a kunai through the webbing.

"Somni no Jutsu!" Instantly, the female nin went limp.

"Huh? Jutsu?"

"Skills I learned." Aki grinned as she cut the rope that was holding the genin up.

Their bodies thudded against each other, one giving a grunt of pain in reply.

"Well, this oughta work."

"What are we going to do with them?" Aki's eyes gleamed slightly.

"Take her and strip her. We're going…uh…heh "shopping". Have any second thoughts?" Kage did.

"Cause if you do, I can undo the skill and let them kick the crap outta us." Kage vigorously shook her head.

Aki grinned.

"I thought so, sensei."


	12. From Sensei and Back Again

Kaiyuga: {Pulls herself from the ceiling} Oh, you gonna get it now!

{**Kaiyuga** lunges onto **Kohaku- san**, biting into her shoulder}

Kohaku- san: GAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Kaiyuga: And now, my dear….

{**Kaiyuga** rests her long black talons on **Kohaku- san's** shoulder, and roaring with feral intensity, tears flesh and blood from **Kohaku- san**, rendering her arms immobile}

{**Kaiyuga** bites down on one of her claws, tasting the blood}

Kaiyuga: {Smacks tongue against the roof of her mouth} Hmmm…Amber- tasting…

{**Kaiyuga **grins as she raises a clawed hand to strike the final blow when a hand grips her wrist}

?????: Your fight is not with her, but with me, remember?

Kaiyuga: {Softly chuckles to herself}How right you are, **KakashiLvr**.

{Shoves the other set of claws through **KakashiLvr's** forearm, squirting blood and making **KakashiLvr** let go}

{**KakashiLvr** falls to the ground, gripping her bleeding arm}

Kaiyuga: {Mockingly worried voice} Oh my, I think I struck your artery…{grins}

{**KakashiLvr** glares as she ties a handkerchief to her bleeding forearm, coming close to tourniqueting it}

{Slithering one of two poisonous blue tongues, **Kaiyuga** licks the blood from her claws}

Kaiyuga: {O.o?!} Blood…

{Eyes dilate}

KakashiLvr: Oh shit…

Kohaku- san: {Struggling to get up} Whut?

KakashiLvr: Well, whenever she tastes blood…

{Kaiyuga squalls as she grips her head, her eyes slowly turning black}

KakashiLvr: Oh crap…RUN!!

Kohaku-san: But..?

KakashiLvr: _RUN!!!_

{**KakashiLvr** grabs **Kohaku-san**, and they try to make it to the door out when a cage of bone spikes ram upwards, blocking their escape. Not only that, but they're incased with chakra electricity}

?????: _Oh no, my dears…We've only just begun…_

_

* * *

_

"There." Aki stood back, grinning as she looked over Kage.

She turned in circles, checking her Naruto-ed outfit.

She wore a water blue T- shirt, a white vest protector strapped on top. Her red scarf was wrapped around her neck several times, creating a makeshift "caol" on her shoulders. She had black, fingerless gloves with plating nailed to the back. A ring of protective ninja fabric was wrapped around her lower torso, a shiny green pair of skintight shorts covering most of her thighs. A waistcloth with the Konoha emblem was tied in the center of her waist and trailing down to her shins. Aki had woven a shin- guard of bandages and threw a pair of ninja sandals on to complete the mix.

Aki slowly nodded in approvement before she noticed a crucial part of the outfit was missing.

"Hang on!" Aki slid the female Grass nin's headband off of her forehead, "You'll need this."

Aki tied the headband under Kage's bust since that was the only open space on her and she didn't like things tied to her forehead for some odd reason that Aki had found out the hard way.

"There we go. Now you'll fit." Aki beamed.

Kage looked down at the waistcloth and eyed the Konoha emblem. It took her a few minutes, but then it clicked.

"Hang on! We're in the Naruto world!" Aki sweat dropped big time, and sheepishly smiled.

"Didn't think you'd catch on the quickly…" Kage suddenly fumed at Aki.

"Are you saying I'm stupid?!" Aki shook her head vigorously.

"Nononononono!!" Aki waved her hands.

That sudden motion was what struck Kage.

"Oh! OH!! Aki, Aki!" She looked up.

"Hmm?"

"I practiced those hand signals you taught me!!" Indeed, Aki had taught Kage a few hand seals back in her reality.

Kage started to do a quick session, getting lost on the Dragon hand seal for a moment. Aki suddenly recognized the order of hand seals, and knew it was too late to stop Kage.

"_HOLY SHI_- **_DUCK AND COVER_**!" Aki flung her self behind a boulder as a giant waterspout shot from Kage's opened palms.

A few dead seconds passed before Aki warily raised her head up from behind the boulder. Five sturdy trees were uprooted from the blast, soaked in water. Kage stood there in the wake of the destruction, gaping as her hands were still open.

"What the-?! How did I-?! What was-?!" Aki slowly approached her.

"That…was a Suiton Suiryuudan no Jutsu. But where was there..?" And then she remembered.

There was a river running through the Forest of Death. That's where Kage got her water source.

"What did I do? I just did this, then this…" She began the session again.

Aki's eyes popped out of her head as she hurtled herself into Kage to stop her from doing another.

"**_Careful!_** Do you want to hurt someone on mistake?! What if it was ME?!" Kage bowed her head, making a small dog- like whimper.

Aki rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on. Get up." Aki held out a hand as she sighed.

Kage grinned, and Aki pulled her up.

"Well" Aki cleared her throat, "Um, can I make a deal with you?"

Kage innocently cocked her head to one side.

"If I teach you how to control those hand seals, can you…oh, God, this is stupid…"

"What? What is?"

"Could you…continue teaching me jujitsu?" Kage was flabbergasted.

"Aki, I mean, I'm only a blue belt! I only got it a month ago, remember?"

"Yeah, but you know all of what's before you, and I'm still only yellow, even after seven months! You topped the charts when you were considered for yours, right? A WEEK early?!" Kage nodded, remembering that night of her life.

There she was, giving it her all on the mat, jabbing the air with all her might in Zukis. As her sensei cried out numbers in the Japanese language, she could see Aki scrunched in the corner, marveling at her performance and of those around her. At the home stretch, she could hear Aki cheering her on, saying, "COME ON KAGE, YOU CAN DO IT!" After three sentences, her ears locked down, and her mind was fixed on getting her yellow belt. NO way in HELL would she mess it up NOW! And there she was, kneeling in front of her sensei, bowing to the mat as the fabric trophy was handed to her. Her body swelled with pride, and could not suppress the growing smile that dominated her face. Aki was there, clapping and beaming. The last time before her frame had shattered completely.

"Kage?" Aki's voice snapped her back into reality.

"Huh?"

"Would you do it?" Kage gave it some thought.

"I'll have to be as tough as sensei."

"I don't mind." Aki went to her knees, bowing her head to Kage's feet.

"Please, sensei. I ask you of this." More buttering for Kage.

"Sensei?! I'm not even a SEMPAI yet!"

"To me, you are a sensei. You deserve the title; I swear it."

"Would you be up to the task?"

"Hai."

"Would you put the same dedication into this as I did?"

"Hai."

"Are you willing to hear criticism from me? It could be harsh sometimes."

"Hai."

Kage gave it one last thought.

"Okay then. I'll do it." Aki bowed again and rose.

"I'll hold up my end of the bargain too!" Aki pointed a thumb at herself, grinning similar to Naruto.

"Right then, we need to ingest some chakra skillz into that brain of yours!" Aki tapped Kage's forehead.

"Hai, sensei." Aki looked humbly pleased.

"OoOoOoOo. This is gonna get interesting…" Aki grinned craftily.

"Right, we need to give you some skills that are associated with your name, so first, I'm gonna teach you some killer shadow moves that I created and some that have already been made, kay?"

"Hai, sensei!" Aki smirked, getting used to the sensei bit.

…………

"Did you muster up enough chakra?" Kage's hands were pressed together in a Tiger seal, trying all her might to create chakra.

"Whoa, don't blow your head off. Here, remember Ki in you jujitsu class?"

"Hai…"

"Think on those lines, kay?"

"Hai, sensei. Areigatou, sensei."

"Meiki sanba, grasshopper!" Aki's eyelids curved in a googly smile.

"Right, have you got it now?"

"I…I think so."

"Okay, let's try it out again then." Aki squatted down, staring that the shadow of a nearby tree.

"Ready?" Kage nodded, her eyes closed in concentration.

"NOW!"

"AKAKAGE NO JUTSU!" Kage's eyes flared open as a red mist shot from her hands and landed on the tree's shadow.

Slowly, the black mixed with the chakra, and started to turn red.

"HA! I did it!" Kage leapt into the air, "I did it! I did it! I did it!"

"You didn't."

"I did it, I did it, I- SHIT!" The tree's shadow was quickly morphing back to black.

Aki sighed.

"Kage, you have to have concentration on your chakra command. Otherwise, the jutsu won't work. You gotta relax. Chill. Act _kewl_." Aki started doing funny body language that made Kage snicker and smack Aki in the side.

At first, Aki laughed, but then her face was frozen in a stare, and her hand suddenly gripped her stomach.

"GUH! Dammit!" Aki fell to her knee.

"Aki? **Aki?!**" Kage gripped Aki's arm to keep her from falling.

"I- I just need to…**GUH!** Sit down…" Kage carefully placed Aki against a tree for back support.

Her hand slid into her backpack, and Aki pulled out a small vial and unscrewed the cap. Two red/yellow capsules clattered into her hand, and, hoarsely breathing, Aki chucked them into her mouth. Kage watched as Aki took a huge swig from her water bottle, and closed her eyes to concentrate on the pain.

"Aki?" Her voice had a hint of worry in it, "What are those?"

"Hnn? Oh, meds for my stomach wound." SHIT! She told Kage she was in a dream! Crapcrapcrapcrap!

"Huh?" Aki suddenly faked another blow to her stomach.

"Aki! Are you going to be alright?!" Aki slowly nodded, popping another pill into her mouth.

"How…many of those do you take? In a day?" Aki swallowed her water hard before answering.

"Two, maybe three a day…" she sighed, "sometimes even four if it's real bad."

"Is that what the doc prescribed?" Aki nodded as though it was obvious.

"I'll be fine, don't worry…" Aki took in a few breaths before she gingerly stood up.

"Right, you've gotten close. Now it's your turn, sensei." Kage nodded once, and assumed a different demeanor.

Half an hour later, Aki was running out of breath but still holding her own. She had already done up to six Choku Zukis a count, but was starting to falter.

"Come on, Aki! Put your back into it."

"Hai, sensei!"

"ROKKU!" Aki did seven rapid Choku Zukis, breathing hard in-between her hushed counts.

"SHICHI!" Another seven, losing strength.

Aki felt her stomach boil with pain and her arms screaming for mercy, but she would go on. Even when Kage reached nine, Aki didn't stop.

"KU!" Onetwothreefourfivesixseveneight.

"JU!" Onetwothreefourfive-

It was like something snapped inside of her like a piece of old twine. Aki felt a sudden blow to her abdomen, and keeled over, her back curled in repulsiveness. She quickly swabbed a bit off of her mouth, and realized it was blood.

"Oh, muh God!" Aki managed to gag, "I'm bleeding!"

Kage swooped down to help Aki up, her bottom lip and fingers covered in semi plasmatic blood. Aki coughed several times before reaching to her backpack.

"Aki. NO!" She stopped and looked at Kage.

"I don't think those are helping you out. Stop taking them."

"But-" Kage clasped Aki's shoulder.

"I don't want to see you get hurt. Not by yourself or by any other." Aki looked at the ground, her mind in a buzz.

"Please, stop taking those." Aki's lip twitched, and she rubbed her right arm.

"Alright." She whispered roughly.

"I didn't hear that."

"Hai, sensei." Aki coughed.

Kage looked up, seeing the sun almost setting down for the night.

…………

"We should stop for today and rest."

Aki would have invited that, but for one small detail.

"HOLY CRAP!!!" Kage twitched in shock.

Aki jumped, and was on her feet, how ever lethargic she was.

"We can't stay! Aw shit, why didn't I remember?!" Aki was pulling her stuff together.

"What on EARTH are you talking about?!" Aki was stumbling slightly.

"The tower! We gotta get to the tower before midnight! SHIT!" Aki glanced at her watch.

It was 11:45.

She didn't even know how far away they were.

"Fuck it. I don't care how tired I am; we're taking the express route." Aki smeared off some of the blood from her mouth, and performed some hand seals.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!" In an explosion of blue clouds and chakra swirls, Aoihoshi appeared.

"Hmm? OH, hi, Aki!" Aoihoshi did his invisible grin, "Aki?"

She swayed slightly before falling. Aoihoshi caught her with his fin, and carefully slid her onto his back.

"Hmm?" He looked over to Kage, who was trembling in fear.

"You with her?" Kage said nothing.

"Hey, are you okay?" Aki whispered something to him.

"Oh. Okay." He glided over to Kage, and her only defense was a morote jodan uke.

"Hey, I'm not here to hurt cha!" Aoihoshi hooked his tail behind her shirt, and effortlessly lifted her into the air.

"GAAAHHH!!" Kage flailed and kicked, but to no avail.

Aoihoshi dropped Kage on his back, sighing as she tried every move possible to "take him down".

"Vindictive, isn't she?" Aki smiled weakly and nodded.

"Kage, calm down." Kage finally came to her senses and knelt beside Aki.

"Aoihoshi, we need to get to the tower in less than ten minutes. Can you do that?"

Aoihoshi bowed his flat head, and in three flaps of his fins, they were soaring off towards the hodgepodge tower.

…………

"But, thanks to you, we got both scrolls!" Naruto was still feeding off of his victory high.

So, he had kicked ass with some Mist Nins wearing pajamas; a hard day's work if you asked him. As Kabuto and his teammates walked through the doors, a circular shadow grew from above Team 7.

"Huh?" Naruto looked up to see a tattooed belly of a stingray almost land on top of him.

"UUWAAHHH!!" Naruto dodged out of the way in time.

Aoihoshi bent his fin down, and let Aki and Kage off.

"Huh?!" Sakura saw the stingray and her mind flashed images from Nami no Kuni.

She connected the puzzle pieces.

(_It was** AKI?!**_) Sakura couldn't believe it, but with Sasuke slightly moaning, her attention span grew short on the matter.

Kage slowly approached Team 7, supporting Aki, who was having trouble walking straight. Kage had be smart, and slid her scarf over her mouth and nose to prevent identification.

"Who- who are you?!" Kage remained silent.

"She's….a friend…of mine…" Aki was able to say.

"Aki, what happened to you?!" She smirked.

"Nothing much, Sakura. How did the Mist Nin fight go?"

"Uh…" HUH?! How did she know?!

"Fine…" Sakura gave Aki a weird look.

"OH MAN, YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN ME!!" Naruto went on and on about how he took on all three on his own, bragging and adding tall tale material to the loose ends, but he couldn't fool Aki.

"Aww…Darn, I can't get away with anything from you!"

"Well, that's because I know everything." Aki grinned, but she knew she had said that purposefully.

A sudden flash of glass, and Aki's eyes caught a pair of round glasses in the shadows. She glared, and snarled at the pair of eyes that were analyzing her.

"Are you sure she was the one you spoke of, Orochimaru- sama?"

"Yessss…" His cold voice left a sting at the end of his words like a hot poker.

…………

"YAY!! NINJA! NINJA! NINJA!" Naruto was hugging his former teacher, Iruka, elated that he passed the second test.

Iruka grinned, pleased to see that his once pesky and lonely prankster student was on his way to becoming a Chuunin.

Aki and Kage were huddled in a corner, watching it all play before their eyes.

"Stay close to me." Aki whispered to her as they sat down minutes ago.

Aki watched, and Iruka's gaze locked into her, and he felt a freezing tingle swirl up his spine.

(_Something's not right with this girl…Where's Kakashi?_)


	13. Riddles of Yesterday for Tomorrow

Kaiyuga: {Has an insane look burning in her now bright beryl yellow eyes} Ooooooooooh, **Kohaku- saaaaaaaaaan**....

Kohaku- san & KakashiLvr: {O.O}

Kaiyuga: We've only just started playing...{coos in a poisoned honey voice}

KakashiLvr: {chuckles slightly, her vocal cords becoming jittery in speech} P-p-p-play-playing?! Wh- What m-made you thi- think that?

Kaiyuga: {Grins darkly while snarling} Weapons are for the weak.

{**Kaiyuga** incinerates **Kohaku- san's** Kurama plushie}

{Fires a set of black talons from her fingers, and charges for **Kohaku- san**}

Kohaku- san: {Is frozen in fear}

KakashiLvr: DAMMIT!

{**KakashiLvr** slides in front of **Kohaku- san** to protect her}

KakashiLvr: KAI; C'MON!! IT'S ME, KAKASHILVR!!

{**Kaiyuga**, in her primal insanity, ignores **KakashiLvr's** pleas}

?????: It's no use.

{**KakashiLvr** and **Kohaku- san** watch as **Kit** walks out in front of them}

Both: **_KIT?!_**

Kit: {nods} She's under his influence, since we fought him a few days ago...

KakashiLvr: {Getting behind **Kit**} "He"? He who?

Kit: {Just about to answer when **Kai** claws her in the abdomen} GUH!

Both (KakashiLvr and Kohaku- san): KIT!!

Kit: {poof}

Kai: {Digs claws into the ground before lunging and clawing **Kohaku- san** deep into her shoulder}

Kai: {Eyes dilate into slits of pure madness} **KIT!!!**

Kit: Hmph....You're fast today...

{**Kai** retaliates before she can say the name}

Kai: I WILL NOT BE TAKEN!!! {Eyes lock on **KakashiLvr**}

{**Kai** grins the death grin}

* * *

The silver haired Jounin was oblivious to the world around him as he sank into the pages of forgotten lust and exuberant action.

That is, until a fist bopped him good in the head.

"BAKA!" Kakashi turned to who had made the hit, and saw it was Anko.

"Huh? Oh." Kakashi slipped Icha Icha Paradise into his vest before Anko caught the name, "Yes?"

"Iruka needs to speak with you. He seemed really worried about something. Said it's got to do with one of your students...." Kakashi's body froze, knowing who Anko was speaking of.

"And another thing..." Kakashi snapped back into reality.

"We...found another genin. Doesn't have a team, not registered, she's just there..."

"What does she look like?"

"Fair. Can't see her face. Blonde hair. Yee tall,"Anko measured a hand to Kakashi's shoulder, "But the weirdest thing was her eyes..."

"Hmm?"

"Well, they were..."

............

"Are you feeling okay now, Aki?" Aki had a distant look in her eyes when she suddenly blinked and looked at Kage.

"Yeah...I guess so..." She went back to staring at an irrelevant spot, her mind whirring with questions.

(_That feeling... I know it from somewhere......But where...?_) In truth, she didn't feel okay.

Her breathing had been restored, but her heart kept on getting weird palpitations. What's worse, she couldn't seem to focus on any one thing. Vague, distant...almost dead- like...

"And now we will introduce our referee, Hayate." The name struck Aki's mind like a hammer to an anvil.

She looked up as the sick Jounin walked to the center, and flipped a clipboard to check names.(_Hayate...SHIT! WhatdoIdo?! **WhatdoIdo?!**_)

{Are you getting scaaaaared?}

(_SHUT UP, SIKULIAH_!)

{My...I see my treatment still hasn't opened your eyes yet...} Aki froze.

(**_You_** made me cough up blood?! You **poisoned** me?!) A laugh was heard.

{Oh no, you just made yourself weaker to me with those pills you were taking like candy!}

(_You hurt me_!)

{Like I give a damn?}

(_Fuck off_.)

{Excuse me? I didn't hear that.}

(_FUCK OFF! JUST LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE_!) A pitied sigh came from within her.

{I have no choice...You force me to go another step...} Aki could hear the hidden "Oh well" in his frozen voice.

She braced herself for a repeat of mental blows. But instead felt nothing. She opened her eyes, a voice distantly approaching her ears.

"Ak………Ak…Aki?" She looked up at Kage with half moon eyes.

"Hmmm?" She scratched behind her head, and massaged her right arm, "Whazzup?"

"You looked…strange…Is everything okay?"

"Whu?" Aki blinked, "Oh yeah…fine…"

Her eyes swiveled slightly before seeing the opponent board. It was Sasuke's go.

"Sasuke." He stopped a little away from Aki.

"Don't let him touch you. And don't rely on the mark. You never know what may occur." Sasuke kept his stone face, but in his mind, he knew Aki was telling him something.

It had become a thing with Aki; to warn the future with riddles. To her, it was a sure way she wouldn't blabber anything, but if the recipient was too stupid to solve the riddle...

She buried her face in her arms, a small black cloud fuming over her head. Apparently, Sasuke wasn't smart enough. She watched, with little or no interest, as Sasuke's charka was being taken out by Kabuto's teammate, Yoroi, who evidently had no eyes to start with. She watched as Sasuke did his Shishi Rendan, smashing the ninja into the ground.

She heaved a huge sigh, as though it took an effort to do so. Kakashi noticed this, and had kept an eye on her and Kage, who was watching with fear, anticipation and raw excitement.

"Kage," Aki's voice droned, "There's no need to jump...I know who wins this match...Hell, ANYONE can tell..."

Kakashi's mind was in deadlock as he tried, once more, on how Aki's mind worked. She was unpredictable; one moment, she would be smiling and being cheerful, the next? Belligerent and bloodlust would be painted in her eyes. Though dubbed the Copy Ninja all his life, he could never quite see the quilt lines in Aki. A mystery of itself, which was the puzzling thing of all.

And who was the newcomer? From what Aki said, her name was "Kage". Was she a Shadow Jutsu user? Maybe she was a paradox or an oxymoron to her name. Kakashi didn't know enough. He sneaked a peek with his Sharingan and mentally jumped.

Kage's Inner Coils System...

Was entirely different.

Unbalanced, and by the looks of the meridians...Completely altered. How would she be able to use chakra if her system was out of order?!

"That son of a bitch…THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!" Kage jumped at Aki's shout.

"What?"

"I warned him! I'm fucking warned him!!! And now look what he's done….Just great!! I thought we could have **avoided **that, but no!" She stopped herself, "He won. Everything is going according to plan, so I'll just shrug it off." She inhaled, frustrated at how her attempts didn't get through Sasuke's arrogance.

Kakashi stopped short. "_According to plan_"?!?! What was she scheming?! Aki faced Kakashi, sectioning him from his thoughts.

"Kakashi." Her voice was sincere, as though she was older than he was.

"Hmm? What is it?" He was a bit off edge from Aki's outburst.

"When you go down there to get Sasuke, watch out for hidden snakes in the underbrush of the kunai." **HUH?!**

"Ummm, I'll do that…" Kakashi was baffled beyond words or thoughts.

How the hell did she know he was just about to poof himself down on the ring to get Sasuke?! This troubled him little, since Sasuke looked to be in bad shape. Kakashi carefully walked Sasuke out of the stadium to perform his Fuuja Houin on Sasuke's Curse seal, which seared with pain.

Aki sneaked a grin.

(_Good job, Sasuke. You still cease to amaze me…even though I know your chosen path…_)

…………

Aki looked back to the screen, and blinked. It was Shino against Zaku.

"Hey, Shino." He quietly walked by.

"Blow his arms off!" She grinned.

When Shino returned, Aki had at least looked less dead. She actually came to her senses a bit. She congratulated on Shino's victory, smirking.

"Hmm? Oh, hey, Kakashi." Sakura and Naruto jumped.

"Hey." Kakashi appeared from the swirl of smoke.

How did Aki know he was ther- oh right. When Sakura was up, Aki patted her on the back.

"You're gonna relive a few pasts, but don't worry. You'll make it through." Aki winked.

With Aki telling everyone riddles, Kage was in the danger zone of confusion. And possibly jealousy.

"How come YOU know what happens?!"

"Cause I pay attention." Was that a riddle or an honest answer?

"What about me then?!" Aki was leaning against the handrail.

"Well, you said you were psychic back home; what do you think?"

"Yeah, but they just randomly come up! I don't have a clue, but evidently, you do!"

While this was going on, Naruto was fighting Kiba.

"Oi! Kiba!" He looked up at Aki.

"Ya barking up the wrong tree, mate!"

"WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?!"

"That." Aki pointed at the duplicate of himself, "Who's the REAL one now?"

"Aki."

"Hmm?"

"I'm scared."

"What for?"

"Well, you told me a little of the storyline….What if I face that Sand dude. The one with the gourd?"

"Gaara?! No way, you're not facing him." She fingered Kage.

"He's facing Lee." She whispered, pointing at the thick brows protégé.

"HIM?!" Kage hissed back, incredulous.

"Sadly….he doesn't win….and- "

"What are you two talking about?" Kage and Aki jumped.

Sakura had recovered from her blows, and had seen Aki and Kage talking in hushed voices.

"Huh?" Aki cleared her throat.

"What?" Kage fidgeted with her scarf to make sure her face was still covered.

"What were you two talking about?" Uh oh; think fast.

"Stuff that young ears shouldn't hear, if they value the cleanliness of their minds." That turned the Sakura off.

She wheeled around and sat back down against the wall.

"That wasn't very nice, Aki." Aki snickered.

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Which reminds me." She looked over at Kage.

"You have not a single kunai or shuriken on you. How the hell do you think you're gonna win in the prelims, much less the third test?" She chuckled, going into her shuriken holster and the small pack behind her waist.

"Here. Take these. You'll need them." Kage hesitated before taking them.

"Aki?" Her voice wavered.

"Hmm?"

"Can you die in the prelims?" Aki turn her head over her shoulder to vaguely see Kage.

"You can die anywhere if you're a ninja." Kage gulped, "But don't worry. No deaths will occur here." She didn't dare tell Kage that she had not a clue as to their paths in the future.

Last thing she needed was a break- down. But she was safe, though she didn't know if the line up was confused or not.

…………

It pained Aki so greatly when Hinata faced Neji. Naruto was shouting for Hinata, unbearable to watch her lose to Neji.

"Hinata, please!" She looked up at Aki.

"Don't let him past you!" She hoped she could turn the situation around.

When Neji started to do his speech about destiny that couldn't be changed, Aki was coming close to screwing up the match. Thanks to her hands, he perched on the handrail, glaring with hatred for Neji.

"Uh, Aki?" Kage back away from Aki's face.

(_That arrogant, self centered, pompous bastard!_) Every word she could think of to fit Neji fueled her rage.

"Aki?"

Her eyes were changing.

"Aki?!"

Fangs slowly slid over her teeth.

"Aki!"

She snapped out of it.

"What?" She blinked, realizing how she was balanced on the three-inch thick steel pipe.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." Aki's dead voice signaled that she knew the bitter end.

She turned away as Hinata fell to the ground, coughing up blood. She screwed her eyes shut as she continuously ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm sorry, Hinata." She whispered, trying not to cry, "I couldn't save you."

She pinched her eyelids to stop herself from crying, and sniffed once or twice. She cleared her throat and looked at Kage.

"So, Lee and Gaara are next." Kage stared at the board.

"What?"

Aki looked over at the board and froze.

"Oh no…"

"This is…impossible…" Kage and Aki were horror- struck at the names that popped up on the board now.

Berokunta Akiosu

Vs.

Kage

__


	14. The Demon Has Awoken

Kaiyuga: sets fire to the blossom I told you that wouldn't work…You stole that from Yu Yu Hakusho…KATON HOUSENKA NO JUTSU!!

{**Kai** spits fire in all directions, getting all three of them}

All three: GUH!

{They fall to the floor}

Kai: {Eyes glow searing red, and she makes for **Kohaku- san**, who's the closest}

{Picks her up by her ankle, and hisses in her unconscious face}

Kai: You should be thankful. If you were awake, this would be unbearable…{grins}

{Grabs **Kohaku- san**'s arm, and with a horrible snap, it dangles limply}

Kai: Now for the other…{grabs the other arm}

Kit: {regains consciousness} NO!

{A kunai sinks into **Kai**'s back, making her drop **Kohaku- san**}

Kai: AAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! {Writhes for the kunai}

Kit: {Ignores the demon, and shakes **Kohaku- san**} Wake up! WAKE UP!!

Kai: Ku…Ku- heh heh heh heh! SHE CAN'T HEAR YOU!! {flicks out a lightning yellow tongue}

Kit: SHUT UP! {throws another kunai}

Kai: The same trick doesn't work twice with me, remember? {catches the kunai between the pointer and middle finger, and flings it right back at **Kit**, whose attention is still on **Kohaku- san**}

KIT!!

{Blood splattered against **Kit**.}

Kit: Huh? {looks up}

???: _GUH!_ {**KakashiLvr** coughs up blood, gripping a kunai in her left flank}

Kai: {reaches for the kunai in her back, roaring increases as she gets closer} UHN! {pulls it out, black blood spewing from the open wound} Heh heh heh…

{Hurtles the kunai at **Kit** from a different viewpoint and dashes for **Kohaku-san**}

KakashiLvr: K- KIT! WATCH OUT!!

Kit: HUH?!

{A body falls in front of her, blood splattered everywhere in front of her}

KakashiLvr: {Can barely breathe as she grips the kunai that's now just above her heart}

Kai: NOW YOU'RE MINE!! {**Kai** protrudes a set of sharp black claws as a second jaw forms under the first, closing in on the three of them}

* * *

"Thi- this can't be!" Kage gaped at the names, her body freezing.

"I'm…afraid it is…" Aki's voice dropped in defeat of the truth.

"Did…didn't you know this?!" Aki gave an airy chuckle.

"Aha…nope." Aki sweat dropped as she got off against the rail, "Ah shit."

Aki trudged down the steps, a wry smirk on her face. Karma walked alongside her ankle, purring.

"So be it." She muttered under her breath.

She stood at the opposite end of Kage, standing strong.

"Sempai vs. Sempai, then, huh?"

…………

" "Sempai"?" Sakura looked at Kakashi, "What does she mean?"

"I'm just as lost as you…" Kakashi looked back on the two fighters.

…………

Aki bowed, looking at Kage.

"Should I go full out?" Kage swallowed.

"Is it guaranteed you won't kill me?" Aki snickered.

"Nothing is guaranteed when you're a ninja." She slipped her headphones on to Thrice's "Stare At The Sun".

…………

"Uh- oh."

"Kakashi- sensei?" Naruto turned around.

"When she places those sound casters on her ears…" Kakashi showed signs of worry.

A wave of blue chakra enveloped Aki's form.

"She gets an unreal chakra boost!"

…………

"BEGIN!" Hayate dropped his hand.

Aki took evasive action, Karma making her hair stand on end. She dashed around Kage, appearing and vanishing as she came closer to confuse her opponent.

"Don't take this personally." Aki struck Kage in the abdomen.

(_An Atemi?! Why go there?!_) Kage blocked with a Chûden.

"Inazumagen!" Kage flew back, blood dripping from her nostril.

She slid against the stone, and lifted her torso up. She wiped the blood from her nose, confused.

(_Why didn't I see that_?!)

…………

"Kakashi- sensei! What was that?!" he scratched his head.

"Well, guessing from their stances, they're fighting Jujitsu- style."

"What was that punch?! I could hardly see it!" Naruto grinned mischievously, thinking if Aki could teach him that.

" "Lightning Flash Fist?" " Sakura looked at him with bafflement.

"That's what Aki said."

…………

Aki slapped her hands together in the Dragon seal.

"Jigokuryuu no Justu!" A black mist circled her feet.

…………

"HUH?!" Mostly everyone stopped and stared.

"What did she say?"

"That's what I heard."

" "Hell Dragon"?"

"Have you ever heard of it?"

Kakashi looked around at the whispering genin and the concerned jounin. He looked back, and jumped slightly.

…………

The ring of black mist now created a mini tornado, and sped towards Kage. She leapt up quickly, and began to dodge the tornado, which glared pupiless red eyes within the core of the mist.

Aki assumed a position as though she was doing a Katon Ryukka no Jutsu. She had a hand to her mouth, blowing out black mist in a stream. The tornado grew bigger and darker as each second came by until it was a mini F5 tornado.

Kage looked for a way out when something caught her eye. Something that streaked black and silver.

"Huh?" That split second of distraction made the tornado swallow her in the chaos that raged inside.

"AAUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Aki grimaced.

She should have been grinning.

"Jigokuryuu no Justu steals physical and mental energy." She winced at Kage's screams, and finally removed the tornado.

Kage was on one knee, breathing hard and twitching madly.

"Do you give up?" Aki stood a few feet away from her, unsure of what to do or say.

"Heh…Tell me, Aki…" Kage grinned, still trying to catch her breath.

"What did you shout that night? When I had received my yellow belt?"

Aki reverted back to that night.

"I see…I'm not responsible for what happens from now on." Aki took her stance, drawing her staff.

Aki placed two fingers in front of her, and after concentrating some chakra to it, pointed straight at Kage.

"Seifuku!"

Kage tried to dodge the thread of chakra, but her mind and body was worn out from the jutsu. She suddenly felt an invigorating feeling surging through her body. Any small abrasions she got from the tornado were vanishing, and her mind became sharp.

"Now…" Aki held her staff in defense, "Fight."

Kage was only taught defense, since that was the purpose of Jujitsu, but what if Aki didn't use fighting with fists? She'd be in a pickle.

A dead pickle.

"Come then." Aki offered a hand, "Or are you backing down?"

Her voice changed suddenly. It may have been her mouth forming the words, but it was someone else who had spoken them.

"I thought you didn't back down from threats?" She hissed in demonic mirth.

Kage glared at the moment, and charged. She flipped out a kunai, and hurled it at Aki.

"Child's play." Aki spun her staff so fast that the kunai was knocked off and clattered against the floor.

Aki didn't realize that was a diversion and Kage slammed a fist into Aki's side, gritting her teeth in remorse.

Aki's eyes dilated, and she spat out blood before grabbing Kage, and flinging her over her back. Karma bit Kage's hand, hissing.

"OW!" What bit her?!

Kage swiped her hand, and Karma flew off, landing on her paws lightly. At the same time, Aki and Kage formed hand seals.

"KATON RYUUKA NO JUTSU!"

"AKAKAGE NO JUTSU!"

Aki spat flame as Kage released red mist. An explosion of chakra sent the ring in smoke and disaster.

Aki fell to a knee, panting. A hand gripped her stomach as a small trickle of blood dripped from her bottom lip.

(_Dammit! Not now…_) She looked around as the smoke cleared up, not seeing Kage.

"Where is she?"

"AKI! BEHIND YOU!" Sakura jumped, seeing Kage stalk Aki from behind.

Aki's eyes widen, and spun around, doing a trip kick to Kage. She fell forward, her chin crashing against the stone. Aki leapt back, gripping her stomach. She coughed and turned around to breathe.

…………

Hayate quietly watched, intrigued by Aki's power and curious of the past these two had together.

(_She's fighting? With the wounds I can deduce from that girl, something is wrong…_)

…………

Aki coughed out a small puddle of blood, not paying attention to Kage. She gripped the kunai in her hands, and drove it into the stone in front of her.

If Aki's eyes could go wider, they would pop out of her skull. She crumpled to the floor, shrieking an inhuman screech of pain. She gripped her shoulder, blood spurting through her fingers.

"How…?!" Then she noticed it.

Her shadow was longer because of her chakra, and it was not normally black.

It was blood red.

The kunai Kage had stabbed into the ground spewed blood from the shadow equivalent of Aki's shoulder.

"Aki, stop now." Kage got up, trying to help Aki.

"Never!" It was that same, unrealistic voice that had answered Aki.

"You're not well! Stop it now! Forfeit!" Each word made Aki twitch in rage.

"We'll see whose not well when this match is over!"

Aki suddenly blindly charged, aiming for Kage.

"Aki…" she drew out a kunai, "You leave me with no choice."

Aki kept on coming, homing in on Kage.

"Aki, please forgive me!" She started her descent.

It all happened so fast. First came the glint of the iron, then the flash of black fur, then blood. Kage stood there, staring at Aki. Aki stopped dead in her tracks, horrified at what lay at her feet.

Karma lay there, blood seeping under her side. Aki slowly lowered herself and ran her fingers across the cat's dead face. Tears slide down her cheeks as she scratched the deceased cat behind her right ear, which she always enjoyed. She gingerly lifted the kitten into her arms, and hugged her tightly.

"KARMAAAAAAAA!" She cried to the ceiling, tears flying from her eyes.

Kage continued to stare.

Aki bowed her head, holding her limp cat to her heart.

"Aki…"

Without warning, she suddenly backhanded Kage so hard in the gut it knocked the wind out of her.

"You…" Aki stood up, her fists clenching and unclenching.

"**YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!!!!**" She went for a kill swoop when she stopped, frozen.

Deep inside of her, something snapped.

Aki suddenly collapsed to both knees, her arms constricting around her stomach.

…………

Watching above, the sensei for Zaku, Dosu and Kin was grinning, licking a fang with his long tongue.

(_Now we will see the extent of your ability, Akiosu…_) Orochimaru grinned.

…………

A cryptic silence filled the prelim stadium. Kage was slowly regaining her breath; Aki was still kneeling, a steady stream of blood silently traveling off her lip.

Kage pulled her head up from the floor, and stared at Aki.

A diabolic grin spread across her bloody lips, fangs growing into her teeth.

"Fr…." She reiterated that word over and over again.

A black aura of chakra flamed all over her body.

"Wha?!"

A clawed hand pressed down on the stone as she got up, her skin and nails as dark as smoke.

"Eheh…heh heh heh heh!!" Aki brought her hands to her eyes, flexing the fingers.

Kage heard her inhale deeply through her clenched teeth.

"**_FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!_**" The very word sent shivers even down Kakashi and Orochimaru's back.

Kage jumped to her feet in an instant, backing away from Aki, whose face was shadowed. Akakage no Jutsu had worn off by now, her shadow growing darker by the second.

Aki threw her head back, cackling in an insane and malevolent voice that was too deep to be human, much less feminine.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Kage was losing her wit.

"_Who am I?_" The voice hissed, a poisonous blue tongue slithering out every interval between words, "_I am amazed Aki didn't give proper introductionssssssss…_"

Aki carefully gripped her forehead with her left hand, the other going across her forearm in a cross. She grinned, and slowly dug her claws into her flesh. She started to drag her claws down, scratching skin off.

"AKI?! WHAT THE HELL-?!" A growing chuckle grew in Aki's distorted vocal cords.

"_Aki? She's not here at the moment. Leave a message after the scream_." Aki tore the last of her flesh from her chin.

"_My name…is Sikuliah…_" He grinned, showing gleaming white fangs.

Hiding between loose hairs from her bangs, was glowing red eyes. The pupils tightened into slits, fixing on Kage.

She screamed.


	15. One Can Only Go So Far

Rated for grossness…{.}... {.} Can't help it…

**WARNING: **For those who have weak stomachs, please skip this chapter. You have been warned...SEE?! Thank you and happy readings!

**_YO QUIERO REVIEWS!!!!!!! _**You know who you are if you haven't submitted in a review for the past **three** chapters! What do I look like; chopped liver?!

Don't answer.

I'd like some feedback for the entertainment I give tah ya'lls all the time! {shakes fist in anger}

* * *

Sikuliah cackled, seeing Kage's horrified expression as she screamed.

"WHAT _ARE_ YOU?!" He grinned, pulling Aki's lips so far back that the ends touched her earlobes, revealing an ongoing set of shark teeth.

" _"What" am I_?" He vanished.

"Huh?!" Kage looked around.

A hot breath that smelled of sulfur slithered down the side of her neck. A smoke black hand went over Kage's shoulder, gripping her chin as a blue tongue slid up the side of her face.

"_I am Aki…and she is meeeeeee…_" He kicked her square in the back, tearing her chin on his claws.

She fell on her face, sliding across pieces of stone gravel. She slowly got up, and stared at the person she once saw as her closest friend and now as a possessed demon. Sikuliah bit down on one of his black claws, tasting blood. Saliva dripped from his mouth, drenching his claws.

"You're sick." Sikuliah chuckled deeply.

"_I'm just me._" He looked down at the dead cat.

"_So, that is what set me free? Aki actually had _feelings _for that thing!?_"

"Like you have feelings to start out with."

"_OoOoOoOo, icy, aren't we?_" Sikuliah felt along his right arm, "_Hmm? What's this?_"

He pulled up Aki's sleeve and saw it was bandaged near her shoulder.

"_Oho…smart girl_." He tore off the bandage.

"What the-?" Pinched at the end of his foot long talons was a small red leaf the size of a quarter.

"_Using an anesthetic to keep me at bay…Clever indeed_." He flicked it away, "_But alas, it wasn't enough._"

"_You know, Aki blames you for releasing me. If you hadn't killed the creature, I would still be inside, biding my time. But you unlocked the door. It's your fault. And she won't forgive you for it._"

"We'll see about that!" Kage charged, pulling out shuriken.

Sikuliah sighed, shaking his head slowly.

As Kage was coming closer, Sikuliah drew his hand over his shoulder.

"GIVE AKI BACK!!" Kage was slapped so hard in the face that her cheeks were scratched from the claws and blood flew from her mouth.

"_I worked too hard for this day!_" He extended his claws three more inches, "_AND I'M NOT GIVING HER BACK ANYTIME SOON!_"

He gripped his shoulders with the opposite hands.

"_I want to breathe…_" He started to squeeze his claws into her flesh, "_I want to know I'm alive…_"

He shredded cloth and skin from Aki like a wolf trying to get out of a trap, roaring as murky swamp green scales were revealed under the flesh that he had torn off.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!" He grabbed her already torn face.

"_What am _I _doing to her? No no, the question is, what has _she_ done to _**me**_?_" And with that, he ripped off the rest of Aki's face.

…………

"KAKASHI- SENSEI!!!!" Sakura pulled away in disgust.

Naruto stared, not wanting to believe it or being able to.

"What's wrong with her?!" Sakura turned her face to the wall, hearing the squelching sound of wet flesh.

"I- I don't know." Liar. He knew **exactly **what was wrong.

…………

He let Aki's face fall to the floor as he covered his own. Aki's back arched to the floor, the sound of bones cracking inside echoing in Kage's fear. Sikuliah released a primal squall, pulling his hands from his face. Kage could see a snout grow from Aki's face, and Sikuliah brought his head back, gripping the top of Aki's head.

He panted, his voice growing a roar as his snout grew longer and longer. He shrieked again, vibrating in power and pain as his jaw forcefully turned sideways. Aki's hair wavered into a merciless black, growing wilder and pointer at the ends. Two blue tongues flailed out of his new mouth, dripping corrosive purple saliva. He curled inward, positioning his feet to support himself as his back trembled. With a screech, black bat wings tore from Aki's back, splattering flesh everywhere around him.

His abdomen stretched out while a thick, trunk like tail elongated and poised around his bony ankles. Aki's feet were extended, making the demon balance on the balls of his feet, the heel sprouting out bone spikes. Sikuliah fell forward, resting the back of his right fingers on the stone while pressing his left.

Kage froze; she knew that stance. Ever since Aki introduced the Final Fantasy series to her, she had been hooked on FF X. And she had taken a personal liking to one of the aeons in the game. And the creature that crouched in front of her was imitating the stance from none other than Ifrit.

And if that was so…Oh shit.

Every step that Sikuliah took towards Kage erupted small red fire around his lizard like feet.

"_NOW LET'S PLAY!_" Sikuliah's hands were covered in fire, and he threw it at Kage.

(_This…This is…"HELLFIRE"?!_) The fire enveloped her.

It didn't burn her, it just stung really badly. But that was only the first phase. She felt herself being lifted up into the air, and saw as a huge fireball crashed into the flaming tower. Now it started to hurt. Sikuliah landed back on the ground, and pulled out a section of the ring, and flung it at Kage. Now it REALLY hurt. Kage felt herself helplessly slam into the stone, knocking the wind out of her and possibly cracking a bone or two.

Sikuliah cackled, purple spit flying from his mouth. His feet were surrounded by fire, but this time, when he took a step towards Kage, ice crystals sprouted like flowers from underneath his padded feet.

"_Anything that Aki imagines…_"He tapped his forehead, "_I use as my weapon_."

Kage wheezed, blood fluttering from her mouth.

If that was true…oh, God, if that was true…!

Kage, however badly her body was smashed, leapt to her feet, trying to back away from the advancing dragon demon. He grinned, showing mismatched fangs as he let his blue tongues limply hang out in taunt.

He slammed his fists into the ground, sending rushing threads of ice towards Kage. Spires of crystal blue ice spiked towards Kage like a timed domino explosion, each getting sharper, thicker and bigger as they closed in on her.

All she could do was lamely dodge them while gripping her left arm in pain.

"_What'sss wrong?!_ _Still holding back?!_" He maniacally laughed, and for once, it worked, "_This isn't Aki anymore! You can go "full out" on me…Though I doubt you could by now…_" Even if his jaw was sideways, Kage saw him grin.

"You…you might not _be _Aki, but you're still _inside _her."

"_So…_" Sikuliah sized up to Kage, "_Turn the other check, then?_" He smacked Kage backwards.

"_Aki will never forgive you. You betrayed her. Just like everyone else._"

"SHUT UP! What do YOU know about AKI?!" Sikuliah gently guffawed.

"_Everything._" He waved his hand in an arch in front of Kage.

"_She's a paradox to society. She says she lives for tomorrow, yet she clings to yesterday. A hypocrite to the friend, and a danger of herself to the foe. She tried; oh, how she tried, to accept us…_" He paused, flexing his fingers inwards.

"_But NO!_" He slammed a fist, breaking the stone around him as it froze in ice, "_She lied! SHE LIED!! As she always has! To me, to you, to all that lay witness in here._" He waved his hand around to emphasize "all".

"_And what are we to tell them, hmmm? That she doesn't belong here?! That she doesn't ex-_"

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW!!" Kage pulled out a kunai, and amazing for her speed, shoved the kunai through his jaws, locking his mouth shut.

He screamed, staggering back. Black blood seeped from the back of his lips. He froze. And then he laughed.

He laughed so hard that tears fell from his red eyes.

"_HOW NAÏVE CAN YOU BE?!_" He snickered so hard he had to cough a bit.

"What?"

He wrenched out the kunai from his lips.

"_DON'T YOU GET IT?!_" He flung it back at Kage, this time incased in electricity.

She dodged it, but the kunai struck through her shoulder, shocking her system. Sikuliah stomped his feet into the stone, caps of indigo electricity scuttling outwards and vanishing. He opened his large wings and roared, shaking the Statue of the Ram seal. A huge explosion of electricity struck Kage head on, overloading her brain and making her unable to stand.

Sikuliah's wide eyes narrowed as he trudged towards her, electricity screaming under his feet.

Kage, after her body had stopped trembling, put a hand to her head and winced. She opened her eyes, and saw the shadow that swallowed her up.

"_I guess you don't know and shouldn't know…_" He raised a claw up for the kill.

"_Die knowing you betrayed your friend_." He brought his claw down, the madness livid in his eyes.

"This is a dream. I can't die. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!" Everything literally stopped.

Kage's screwed shut eyes opened slightly. Then they popped out of her skull.

"WHA?!" She stared at what was positioned in front of her.

"N- no way…" Sikuliah snarled at what appeared to be a wolf.

"It can't be…Fen?"

What was once laying dormant in her dreams now stood in front of her, snapping it's jaws at the demon. Fen had been a creation to comfort Kage every time she moved; a reminder that nothing was lost forever. Now he was going to live to that purpose.

…………

"Sensei! That's cheating, right?!" Naruto never gave up in his justice streak.

"I'm afraid not."

"WHA?!"

"Listen." He hoped nothing would get out of hand at this moment.

…………

Kage was baffled on the floor, question marks littering her mind.

"But how-?!" Then she noticed it.

Buried in its fur were tiny black stitches.

"_Heh…placing your chakra in a doll to animate on it's own…I didn't think you'd result to that type of weakness…_" Sikuliah rose up on his hind legs, and flapped his wings a couple of times, causing the air to swirl around the two of them.

Kage stared at Fen, marveling at how he looked. His head reached Kage's height, making him a build for a tiger. Fur as black as the shadow of the moon covered his sleek body, blood red stripes lining his back as well as behind his arms and legs. Retractable claws fired from his wide paws, digging into the stone. He snarled at the dragon, fangs resting on his canine lips. Sikuliah cowered only for a nanosecond, but fought against Fen's remarkable eyes.

Fen's eyes glowed slightly, the irises in a shade of jade green, like grass in the dawning mist. Sikuliah's blood red eyes countered them, and their threatening glares were cancelled out as the wolf lunged and Sikuliah grappled him.

Kage could only helplessly watch has she let her wounds settle in.

Roars and howls were exchanged as each took a hit and swiped at each other. Fen bit into Sikuliah's arm, clawing into his sinew. Sikuliah swung his arm, smacking the dog off with his tail. Fen's fur stood on end, and he leapt into the air, latching himself to Sikuliah's upper body. Sinking a set of claws into Sikuliah's shoulder, he swiped Sikuliah in the face, four deep scratch marks running through his right eye. Sikuliah retaliated by chomping his fangs into Fen's ribcage.

Scales and fur were shredded off each other, blood splattering on the floor. Fen lunged and hooked to Sikuliah's back, clawing scale and sinew from his wings. He grabbed Fen by the ruff of his back, and threw him off and forward, smashing his body into the ground.

Sikuliah fell to a knee, resting an arm on his thigh as he sucked in breath. Fen had clawed him so badly in the side a rib was showing. Claw wounds were scattered all over his body, black blood oozing from a deep, deceased purple muscle. One of his eyes was swollen shut from the claw attack to his face. Blood sagged from his disfigured lips, plopping against the stone and steaming. He grinned though, and saw what condition Fen was in.

He struggled to get up, his muscles shaking from exhaustion. Blood was meshed with his matted fur, shaves of it missing. One of his long wolf ears was half bitten off. His once flawless tail now lay at his back feet, muscle and fur missing. He got up, fell to one of his paws, and slipped while getting up a third time. Sikuliah cackled, blood spraying from his jaws. He rose to his feet, and faltering a bit, suddenly changed.

"FEN!!!" The wolf looked up, and his pure green eyes were stained in red.

Sikuliah had one hand gripping Fen's ruff with the other hand went right through Fen's ribcage. He claws went right through his spine, covered in blood and other substances. He released Fen, and snagged fur with both hands, tossing the limp wolf into the air.

"NOOO!!" Sikuliah slapped Kage back with his tail.

"_Heh heh…Bed of Claws_." Sikuliah slid onto his back, and positioned both his hands and feet at Fen's back.

His tainted claws now extended an extra foot, waiting to taste fur and flesh. Kage slowly regained her wits, and as she looked up, Fen made contact with the talons.

…………

Everyone above turned away in disgust before contact, all except Kakashi, the Hokage, Orochimaru (in disguise) and Anko. Kakashi had a small sweatdrop leave his left temple in horror, Hokage's face stayed indifferent, Anko swallowed so hard she could have choked and Orochimaru was grinning.

"Aki…" Kakashi didn't know what to do in this case…for the first time in his life, he panicked.

…………

Sikuliah grinned, letting the blood drip onto his face and body. He suddenly gripped the wolf's barbed body, and twisted his claws through the wolf.

"NOOO!! STOP IT!!!" Kage's tears mixed with Fen's blood.

Sikuliah stopped, and his slits focused on her.

"_Oh, I'm sorry…Does it bother you?_" His voice could poison the sweetest flowers.

He swung his torso sideways, and the wolf's body flung off the spikes. Fen limply bounced against the floor, stopping at Kage's feet. He mustered a whine before his eyes rolled up in his head, blood trickling down his torn snout. Kage tries to hold back tears as she placed a hand on his face. Sikuliah gurgled, and spat a glob of blood on the dead creature's face.

"Even you disrespect the dead."

"_What respect is there if you're dead?_"

There was a sudden explosion of smoke, and a torn wolf plushie lay at her feet, drizzled in blood.

"_Now…can we _please_ get serious?_" Sikuliah drove his claws into the stone, ready to charge.

"No."

"_I'm sorry? I didn't hear that._"

"AKI, STOP THIS!!" Sikuliah chuckled, running a claw through his black hair.

"_Deaf to the world, aren't you? A daft one, you are. You still don't get it…_" He guffawed once or twice.

"WHERE IS AKI?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?!" Sikuliah tapped against his forehead.

"_She's in here, screaming in her sleep. She begs for you to stop, but it's hopeless. You're too belligerent to give up. And too stupid to understand..._"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?!" Sikuliah laughed, but placed a fist over his mouth to cover his coughing.

"_A simple yet effective truth._" He paused.

"JUST TELL ME!!"

"_Anything you do to me,_" He pointed at the rib wound in his side, "_The same is done to her._"

The horrifying realization thrusted through Kage's mind like sword. Sikuliah laughed out loud, flinging black blood onto the ring.

"I'll kill you."

"_I'm sorry?_" His eyes were squinted in a laugh.

"I'll kill you!"

Sikuliah held up a finger.

"_Using context from Aki's memory of song lyrics, in one called "Duality" from Slipknot, it says, "You cannot kill what you did not create"._"

"I DON'T CARE!!! AKI, PLEASE, WAKE UP!!!!"

"_She doesn't hear-_"

"AKI!!! PLEASE!! WE BOTH HAVE SUFFERED!! COME BACK!!!"

"_Shut your mouth, girl!_" Sikuliah kicked against the ground, launching him into a lethal charge.

Kage walked towards the center of his charge, and spread her arms out, leaving her wide open and vulnerable.

…………

"What is she _doing_?!"

"Is she **insane**?!"

Naruto, even though Kage wasn't on his team, worried for her. Sakura didn't want to see anymore. Kakashi's mental cogs were jammed with too much thought.

…………

Sikuliah's eyes were locked onto Kage, bringing his claws up for the thrust.

"Aki." Kage's voice suddenly changed.

It wasn't scared, it wasn't fearful, it wasn't hurt. It was commanding.

"I know you, Aki. And I know you would never hurt me." Sikuliah kept on coming.

"Never." Sikuliah jammed the brakes, his feet digging into the stone to stop him.

His claws were millimeters away from Kage's heart, trembling as Sikuliah's eyes narrowed and widened.

"_K- _K_a_g_e_?_!_" A dual voice spoke, Sikuliah's gruff dry throat and Aki's timid, silent cords.

"Aki?" She furrowed her brow, "Aki! You can fight this off!"

Sikuliah backed away, holding his face.

"_N-NO!! I WILL NOT LET HER BACK- AUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!_" He writhed on the floor, gripping his scales.

"COME ON, AKI!! BREAK OUT OF IT!!" Kage's commands sent Sikuliah into an epileptic rage.

His body literally vibrated as he gripped his shoulders.

"_NO! NOO!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!_" He started to gnaw off scales, tearing skin from his back.

He flung himself in circles, biting and ripping off scales. Halfway through it, he fell to his knees, his head raised to the ceiling as he shouted out a final "no". His twisted jaw retreated back into his face, the fangs vanishing from his lips. His jaw disconnected as white started to come to his eyes, his tongue fizzling out it horror. His black hair started to turn back into the autumn hazel, the claws retracting. With a hideous squall, he torn his face off, revealing human flesh underneath.

"_THIS CAN'T BE HAP- A_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_G_G_G_G_G_G_H_H_H_H_H_H_H_!_!_!_!_!" Bones cracked inside of him.

Kage watched, with horror and amazement, as Aki started changing back into herself. The wings dug back into her skin, the tail slinking back into nonexistent bone. Aki fell to her knees, her head bowed.

"Aki?" Kage warily approached her.

"GUH!" An overflow of crimson limply dragged out of her mouth.

"AKI! Someone get a doctor!"

"No…" Aki wheezed, shaking her head.

She slipped her fingers around her forgotten staff.

"What?!" Aki stood up with the help of her staff.

"This…match isn't…over…" Kage shook her head.

"Aki, it is."

"NO, IT IS NOT!" Aki cut her finger open and formed a hand seal too complicated and too fast to comprehend.

"**_JANKKEN SENBON!_**" She slammed her palm on the stone.

…………

"WHAT?!"

"What is that jutsu, sensei?!"

Kakashi shook his head and shrugged.

"I don't have a clue."

…………

Nothing happened at first. Then came the rumbling. Out of the blue, senbon flew into the ring, dropping in a growing circle that went around the two fighter's ankles.

"Now you've done it, Kage." The ring now circled their knees.

"What?!" Kage tried to get out, but a senbon cut her in the thigh, "OW!"

The ring now came to their waists.

"You made me summon a forbidden jutsu." The ring came to their shoulders.

"What the hell is it?!" Kage was losing it.

The ring swallowed their heads out of vision, and continued to climb.

"Well, since I'm not at full power…"

The ring was now five feet taller above their heads.

"This jutsu's true title is "Seppuku Jankken Senbon"."


	16. Jankken Senbon

The clicking of senbon was like the clock of Judgement Day. A swirling tornado flew around Aki and Kage, reaching to the ceiling. A silent tear left Aki's eyes.

"And now…" She placed a fist in front of her.

"Huh? Aki, what is this?" Aki choked on her tears.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS!!"

"What IS it?!"

"I created this jutsu…a forbidden one ONLY to be used in dire situations…" A wry smile crept along her bleeding lips.

"I never thought it would come to this." She whispered to herself, letting the tears flow down.

"What…does this jutsu mean?" Kage was shaking in fear.

"It means, "Suicide Chance Needles"." Aki held her fist up, "We have to play a round of Jankken."

" "Jankken"?" Kage echoed the term.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors." Kage scoffed lightly.

"Don't laugh. This jutsu determines who's won…" Kage gulped, "and who's dead."

Kage slowly shook her head.

"If we do not activate it, the tornado will stay forever…until we starve. No one can break its bonds since I've sealed it with my blood." Her thumb was still bleeding.

"What…what if there's a draw?!" she said it with false hope.

"The needle bed gets thicker and faster."

"What if we constantly get draws?"

"It has a "3 strike policy"."

Kage didn't want to hear this.

"It with swallow both of us after three draws."

Aki cried as though she knew this was her end. And Kage's.

"Just do it!"

"No. I can't."

"DAMMIT!! DON'T MAKE THIS HARD FOR ME!! PLEASE!!!"

Kage said nothing as she contemplated the hand that was stretched out in front of her.

"I BEG YOU!! PLEASE!!" Aki's eyes were tightly shut, tears struggling to get out.

Kage inhaled deeply, screwed her eyes shut, and stuck out her fist.

"On three…"

Kage nodded, her breath short and fast.

"Rock…" They bobbed fists once.

"Paper…" A second time.

"Scissors…" The last time.

"And…."

"SHOOT!"

****

…………

"Kakashi, what do you see?" Gai looked at the tornado with fear cloaking his eyes.

Kakashi's headband was lifted up. His right eye closed as he glared into the tornado.

"It's so hard to make out what's going on. There's so much chakra embedded in the needles!" He focused harder.

"I can see…two bodies of chakra…Oh my God…" He opened his other eyes, recognizing the truth.

"What is it, sensei?!" Sakura gripped her hands.

"This jutsu…is unheard of…"

"What's wrong?!" Gai didn't like the tone of voice from Kakashi. Funeral voice.

"They are deciding fates…in a round of Jankken." Everybody on the balcony above stopped short.

"SAY WHAT?!" Naruto leapt off the railing.

"That can't be!" Sakura tried to shut her ears from the reality.

"It is…HUH?!" He swiftly turned his head back to the tornado.

"What?! WHAT?!"

A slow quaking came from the ring below. A sudden roar came from the tornado, and thousands of needles swam around in the cyclone.

"Uh- oh…"

****

…………

Aki and Kage looked at their hands. They had both drawn scissors.

"Oh, not again!" Kage moaned.

Aki was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"We have to."

She looked up, seeing the needles going a 60mph and getting closer together.

"Rock,"

"Paper,"

"Scissors,"

"and…SHOOT!"

****

…………

"What's going on?!"

"The needle bed got thicker and faster. I don't like where this is going…"

"CAN'T WE STOP IT?!"

Kakashi reluctantly shook his head.

"No."

Another rumble was heard.

****

…………

"**NOT 2 ROCKS!?!?**"

Aki wanted no more of it.

"One last time. Please…"

"Rock, paper, scissors and SHOOT!"

****

…………

"Oh no."

"What is it now?"

"I think I know how this jutsu works…"

"Hmm?"

"Three strikes and…" His eyes exploded in realization.

****

…………

"PAPERS?!"

"This is it, then…"

Kage swallowed.

"A-Aki?" She tried to keep her cool.

"Yeah?" A tear slid over her mustered smile.

"I- I just wanted to…"

"What?" Aki sniffed.

Kage suddenly grabbed Aki in a tight embrace, tears falling into her hair.

"I will always forgive you." Aki's eyes glistened with her tears.

She held Kage so tightly she could have cracked her ribs.

"It's gonna be okay." Kage patted Aki on the back.

Aki slowly nodded.

"Ready?" If she reconsidered it, she wouldn't have the will to continue.

Kage nodded. The needle bed was spinning so fast it could have drilled through the floor.

"ROCK!" shouted Aki.

"PAPER!" shouted Kage.

"SCISSORS!"

"AND…!" both screamed and closed their eyes.


	17. Room 13

It all happened so fast.

There she was, gambling with her life with her soul buddy. Resting all of their fates on a thread so invisible you think it wasn't there. And then the bite.

…………

"Wh- what's happening now?!" Sakura stared at the senbon tornado.

Kakashi stared, his face chiseled by the horror of the reality.

"I….I think it's been decided…"

"What has?" A sudden, heart- chattering screech of metal paused their conversation.

The tornado was spinning so fast seconds ago it looked like a solid wall of steel. But now, it was like they slammed down on the brakes. Every needle was poised in midair, tinkling against one another. Then it happened.

The halted tornado suddenly collapsed inward, the needles blanketing each other as they claimed flesh.

"WHA?!"

"NO!!"

"AKI!!!!" Everyone gripped the railing, watching as the needles imploded and slowly dispersed into nothing.

…………

It felt like a really bad dog bite. First, Kage saw the hoard of needles comes at her. Then something beige slid out in front of her before her vision was darkened by cold steel.

Everything was spinning. She didn't know where she was anymore. Was this another weird dream? Not if her arms ached. A spiral of white started to swirl into her vision. Tan and green followed after. Then red.

Kage slowly opened her eyes, just staring at the ceiling. She was alive! That was a nice surprise. Then she tried to move. But couldn't.

"Wha?!" Turning her head gingerly, she saw what was pinning her down and gasped in disgust.

Hundreds of senbon needles were going straight through her arms and her legs, apparently, for she could not move those either. They cleanly stuck through her skin, blood dripping slowly from around the steel. But…shouldn't she be dead?

Gritting her teeth and stifling more than one scream, she lifted her torso up. A vague shadow loomed over hers and she looked up to see Aki standing in front of her, gripping her staff.

Her clothes were torn and frayed, scratch marks covering her body and face. Her blood had soaked into her skin, making her like a survivor in a plane crash. Kage could see Aki's visible rib expand with her uneven breathing.

Hayate knew it was the end. He raised his hand into the air.

"Akiosu is the winner!" Sakura sighed in relief, Naruto whooped, and Kakashi eased.

Nothing moved. Everything was silent still. Kage looked into Aki's eyes, and noticed that they were somewhat faded. And the light had vanished from them.

"Aki?" Kakashi got off from the wall.

He cocked his head to one side, and poofed down into the ring. Aki didn't react.

"Hey, Aki?" Aki just stared at the floor in front of her.

"Aki, come on." He tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

A pause, then suddenly, she keeled over like a chopped down tree.

"AKI?!" Kakashi caught her before she fell to the floor.

A splatter of blood flew from her limp lips as she exhaled an internal cry of pain. Aki's right eyelid twitched slightly as her eyes continued to grow wider. Fear consumed Kage's eyes.

"Oh, my God…!" Kakashi gasped in horror.

Aki's entire back flank was covered in so much senbon she looked like a cyborg porcupine. Her body sagged on Kakashi's arm, bringing her face close to Kage's. She jumped, seeing how dead Aki's face looked as blood continued to spew from her mouth and her eyes twitching.

"MEDIC!" Aki's stomach jerked violently as blood poured from her mouth like a waterfall.

She saw tan stone, then darkness, but the voices kept on screaming in her head.

(_Kage…_)

"_Get her on the stretcher!_"

"_Her too!_"

"_Her heartbeat is failing!!_"

"_What was that thing?!_"

(_Everyone…_)

"_Was that a demon?!_"

"_Who **is **this girl?!_"

"**_What_** is_ she?!_"

"_Aki?! AKI!!_"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

(_Forgive me._)

…………

Two dim lights casted their rays on a back semi covered in blue material. Needles were sticking out in odd ways, painted in the body's blood. Tiny beeps were heard as the body exhaled weak breaths.

…………

Standing five feet away from her, blocked by a pane of glass, Kakashi stared in emotionless hope. He leaned his forehead against his arm on the pane, watching Aki helplessly try to breathe and hang on to what life she had left in her. What had happened? His mind tried to find the answers but it was like catching butterflies without a net.

Impossible.

A demon was inside of her; everyone knew that now. A flamboyant one at that. His name was Sikuliah. Never heard the likes of that type of name. He was a dragon demon.

Kakashi shivered slightly.

He was a powerful demon. He had a fetish for blood, NO! Dammit! A taste…a bloodlust. He thrived on the fear of his opponent, and would not stop until he was dead. But what had made this creature emerge from Aki? How long had Aki harbored him inside of her? Would he die if she did? How would he be sealed?

His thoughts were shooed away as the surgeons walked into the room, and began to sedate Aki.

…………

A dim whiter haze clouded her vision as she turned her head to the side. Her eyes were half-open, hoarsely breathing as she stared lifelessly at the scarecrow watching her. A steady line of blood dripped on the gurney and onto the floor. She ignored the doctors coming in and continued to scowl at the silver- haired jounin, whose mind was trapped in questions.

She paid no attention as they placed the mask on her face, nor when the nozzle was turned on. She felt the bite of an IV needle being inserted into her wrist, and within seconds after the barbiturate was circulated through her system, she was totally oblivious to the world around her.

A faded black object slowly circled the floor in front of her. It stopped to clean itself, and looked up at Aki with beryl yellow eyes. It mewed.

"Ka- Karma?!" In her last conscious breaths, a tear fell from her eyes.

A slow, thin line of saliva sagged out of her mouth before she blacked out.

…………

Kakashi could not bear to watch her anymore as a surgeon took a scalpel to the back of her neck and started to remove the senbon.

…………

Kakashi waited hours, continuously running his fingers through his hair. Sakura and Naruto had already come by, wondering why Kakashi was so bent out. Twice, he had jumped when he thought he saw the head surgeon come out, but all in vain. His eyes were always on the clock, watching as it cackled in his face.

"Kakashi?" His head shot up from staring at the floor.

"Yes?" He saw the surgeon come out from the OR double doors.

He hastily got up and walked towards the doctor.

"How is she?" The doc sighed.

"We brought her out of shock, and she's in Recovery right now." Kakashi let out a relieved sigh.

"But," Kakashi's eye focused on the doc.

"But what?"

The doctor sighed, and pinched his eyelids.

"She has suffered extensive damage to all of her systems, lost a great deal of blood, had a couple of fractures and can hardly breathe on her own." Every one the doc ticked off made Kakashi slowly shrink away.

"At least she is alive and recuperating." He arched his eyelid in a smile.

The doc shook his head slowly.

"I'm afraid we have sustained a dead body." Kakashi's eyes bulged out slightly.

"What?!"

"Not only was her body broken," He leaned in closer to hush his voice, "But her mind has also been cracked."

Kakashi's eyes were practically round now.

"She…Has she said anything?"

"Nothing. Will not respond to a single stimulus, whether it be her name or something smashing like glass."

"Is…is it alright to see her?"

"Yes, but I don't know why you want to…"

"Which room is she in?"

"C13."

…………

She would never forgive herself.

Never.

What was the price of living when most you have lived for you have destroyed? Questions would be asked. Rituals would be held. Sealing would be involved.

Trust would be shattered.

Death would welcome her.

Life would shun her.

Darkness would consume.

Light would be snuffed out.

Why was she breathing? Stop making me breathe! Let me die!

JUST END IT NOW!!

She heard voices, too faint for her ears to catch as she stared grave silent at the ceiling. Sakura and Naruto entered, seeing the living carcass under the sheets and covered in machines.

"Aki?" Sakura bowed close to Aki's face, wondering what was going on behind her eyes.

She stared on.

"Aki, it's me. Sakura." She gave a small smile.

Aki stared. Slowly, very slowly, Aki turned her head at Sakura, stared into her ivy green eyes while breathing like a fish out of water behind the oxygen mask, and turned back to the ceiling.

LET ME GO!!

"Aki?"

I WANT IT TO END!!

"Aki, what's wrong?"

DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!

"Aki, can you hear me?"

JUST LET ME DIE NOW, I BEG OF YOU!!

"Aki…"

****

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!!! LET ME DIE!!!!!!!!

Aki's soulless eyes suddenly shot open. Muffled groans of excruciated pain barely got past the mask. Her body jerked suddenly, her head causing a mini version of whiplash and she pressed it against her pillow, silently screaming to the ceiling.

"Uh, Sa- Sa- Sakura?" Naruto backed towards the door, "I...I don't think…A- Aki's okay…"

A small fountain of blood shot from Aki's mouth, cresting against the sides of the mask like waves and dripping underneath it to slide down her cheeks. Her hands snapped around the metal bars on either side of her bed, hurling her torso forward as she screamed out blood.

"GAAAHHH!!!" Both Sakura and Naruto fled from the room, slamming the door shut with their backs.

"WHERE'S KAKASHI- SENSEI?!" A horrible crash was heard inside.

"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW!!" The door banged.

"HEEELLLLP!" they both screamed.

…………

On the other side, Kakashi was too preoccupied with Kabuto trying to kill Sasuke. He could not hear his other students cry for help.

…………

Kage was contently resting in a hospital bed, her arm splinted and her wolf plushie mended.

…………

Aki snapped her head back in an awkward angle as her convulsing hands reached for her neck. Her jugular was throbbing, claws slowly sliding down the skin that covered the vein.

"N_o_o_o_o_o_…n_o_t _n_o_w_!" Fangs constantly drew from her mouth and retracted.

She gripped her throat with both hands, vomiting blood and other substances. Her back shivered as spines of bone slowly shot out and shrank back like a spring-loaded trap. Temple veins stood out as blood flooded her mask, sliding against the tubing. She grabbed her head, hoarsely screaming as her nails dug into her scalp.

"NOOOOOO!!!!" She tore her hands away, drawing blood and scales.

She bellowed a glass-shattering roar that echoed throughout the building.

…………

Kakashi was about to contemplate the idea of leaving Naruto in Ebisu's care when he heard the roar.

"WHAT THE-?!" He rushed out of Sasuke's room.

…………

Sakura and Naruto both felt the door pound with every blow the creature inside gave. Hideous cries of anguish and bellows of pain echoed through the hallway as though the creature was right in front of them. Doctors and personnel began filing down the hallway, some carrying equipment.

"Help! Someone!" Doctors rushed towards Naruto and Sakura.

"What's going on?!" one shouted fearfully over the roars.

"WE DON'T KNOW!" yelled Naruto and Sakura.

The windowpane in the door shattered, a black claw sliding back into the room. The doctors jumped back, looking at one another as if to say, "You go in first!".

A sudden poof of smoke was their saving grace.

"What's going on?!"

"KAKASHI?!" Naruto and Sakura rushed up to him in a blabber.

"And then she was all twitchy and-"

"She was screaming silently in pain; I could see her fists cur-"

"But then she was all killer on us and started to-"

"Vomit blood and other things and then-"

"Whoa WHOA! Hold on! What's-?" A smash sent splinters from the door flying out.

"HOLY-!!" Kakashi, narrowing his eye, poofed into the room.

…………

Blood dripped from everywhere in the room. The bed had been cut in two and overturned, the sheets torn and soaked in crimson. Sparks flew from the machines as if they themselves were bleeding away. Claw marks were chiseled into the walls, blood coloring the lines. Kakashi saw something crouched in the corner.

It was wheezing, drenched in blood. One arm was normal looking while the other was covered in murky swamp green scales. It seized up suddenly, and without warning, lunged at Kakashi. He dodged just into time, seeing the hybrid creature smash into a wall. It staggered to get up, stabbing its claws into the wall to pull itself up.

"K_A_K_A_S_H_I!!!!" The hybrid fell to its knees, grasping its throat and stomach.

Its extended tongue lolled out of its mouth as pints of blood were ejected from her mouth. It fell forward, propping itself up with its deranged hands. Its back rippled in disgust, and in a final heave, the creature threw up a black glob of foreign material. The creature collapsed from weakness in one arm, and twitched constantly. Its hair slowly went back to the autumn hazel, matted with blood and coursed with sweat.

She fought for breath, her side barely even rising to take it in. Her blood drenched hand twitched slightly, unable to do much more. Kakashi was to the wall, horrified at what he had seen in less than a minute. His mind was crowded with questions, but a small hiss caught his attention.

He looked down at the floor, and watched as the black glob slowly melted away with a _hisssssssssssssssssss_. His eyes narrowed, then widened. Revealing underneath the black goop was a tag. Not just any tag.

It was a Curse Tag.

How could it have gotten inside of A-? If a realization could hit, Kakashi would be out cold.

The operation.

When Aki had crashed on her glider, she had to be taken in to stitch up the wound. How could he have been so STUPID?!

You don't place a bandage on the inside of the stomach.


	18. Kiss of Life

This is for you, **Shadowfax**

* * *

_She was sleeping soundly in her bed. The summer heat had cooled off in the boughs of the maple trees that covered her window. Thin slivers of moonlight trespassed the leaves and through her window, creeping upon her innocent face. She sighed slightly in her sleep, turning over._

_A silhouetted figure slowly pushed open her bedroom door, and locked it behind him. Carefully sneaking up to her sleeping form, he planned for where her wrists were and when he should strike. He waited, then pounced on top of her like a cat and mouse. He quickly snatched and pinned both wrists to the bed, while covering her mouth with the other._

_She struggled, trying to scream behind his large hand._

_"No one can hear you now, girl…" She could see that he was grinning._

_She tossed and turned, but his heavy knees pinned her shins to the bed._

_"Shut up, bitch…" He cackled softly in her ear._

_With his elbow on her mouth, a hand slowly went for the zipper on his pants._

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Aki's eyes shot open.

She jerked upwards, but found herself pinned to the bed. In her post delirium, she struggled, screaming for her parents. She tugged at her wrists, and tried to move her legs, but they wouldn't budge.

"HELPHELP!!! LET ME GOOOOO!!! PLEASE, NOOO!!!! MOOOOOM!!! DAAAAD!!!!! HEEEEEEEEEELLLLP!!!!!" Tears streaked her face as she breathed hysterically.

"Aki?!" The voice snapped her into reality.

The cardiac monitor was bleeping off the walls, dials and numbers going up.

"Ka- Kakashi?!" Her eyes welled up again.

"Please…let me go. I'll do anything; just let me go. Please, I hate being tied down, please, let me go, please please…"She choked on her tears.

"Aki? What's wrong?" Kakashi placed his hands on her shoulders.

"LET ME GO!!" She was starting to lose her voice.

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

When Aki had been unconscious, she had been strapped down to her bed for precautionary reasons. Her wrists were shackled to the metal frame with thick leather manacles while thick belts strapped her legs down.

"Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease, let me go, LET ME GOOOO!!!" Aki tugged on the manacles like a wild animal, trying to tear them from the frame.

"Aki, please! You must calm down! Why are you screaming for your parents? CALM DOWN!" Kakashi slid a hand onto Aki's forehead, coaxing her to calm down.

Aki's sobs stifled as she slowly lay back against her pillows. Tears still relentlessly fell from her face as she tried to regain control over her breathing. Kakashi pulled a chair over to her weeping mess.

"Aki." His voice was concerned.

She shivered in fear, trying to lean away from him.

"Aki, what's wrong?"

"_Everything…_" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I said, everything." She glowered at him.

He backed down slightly. What was wrong with her?! She never acted like this before. Why the sudden change?

Aki's eyes fluttered, her breath suddenly reduced to panting. Her face flushed, and she passed out.

"Aki?!"

"Oh dear, not again…" The nurse outside walked in.

Kakashi looked up at the entering nurse, a flicker of worry in his eye.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's been having fainting spells since yesterday." The nurse pulled back Aki's sheets, tiding her up from the mess.

She glanced at Aki before leaving, but Kakashi caught her look. It was a sense of foreboding. A sense of dread.

…………

He should have been training Sasuke. He should have hoped Aki would get better. He should have waited. But he didn't.

He stood in C13, staring at what was once a lively, chipper and somewhat aloof teenager. Now, he was staring at a living corpse.

"-_She doesn't have long to live_-"

"-_Will she die_-"

"-_In an hour or_-"

"-_Her heart is weak from the de_-"

"-_Chakra is pitifully low from_-"

Kakashi had heard all this as he pretended to pass by, and froze. He had to see her now. And so he did. They had removed the shackles from her for they saw that she could not even move her head around at this point.

…………

Her skin was a cemetery white, her veins showing through her as though she was a window for them. Her face was gaunt and matted with sweat, her cheekbones jutting out like spikes. If Kakashi could have seen under the sheets, Aki was now just skin and bones.

Her frail eyelids fluttered open, her weak eyes trying to focus on a blurred silver, black and green image talking softly in front of her.

"Ka……..kashi?" She tried to smile, but only her lips twitched.

"Aki, you shouldn't talk." She twitched a fragile grin.

Kakashi gently opened one of her windows, Sakura blossoms gently blowing into her room.

"Why aren't you with-"

"Aki, please. We want you to get better." Kakashi smoothed out her sheets and sat beside her thighs.

She coughed a guffaw.

"Kakashi, don't lie to yourself."

"Aki." What was visible of his face went up in shock, "Don't talk like that." 

"Kakashi…" Her voice, though weak, was condescending.

"No! You're going to get better!"

"I'm dying, you baka scarecrow!" Aki showed no sign of emotion to those words, "I'm on flippin' Life Support, for cryin' out loud!"

"I literally have no chakra left in me, my heart's about to collapse, and I have lost all will to live!"

"AKI, STOP IT!"

"I'm **DY- ING**!!" Her sudden shout caused her to cough violently.

Red sprayed against her mask like spray paint, flecks starting to come together to drip down the tube.

"Besides…" Aki slowly removed the mask from her face.

"Aki, what are you-?!" She put a hand on his mouth to silence him.

Blood steadily dripped down the corners of her mouth as she smiled. Aki's eyes seemed to glitter more in the light. Her fingers slipped around the fabric that shielded his face, Kakashi not knowing what to do or say.

"If I'm going to die…" She gently pulled at his head, telling him to come closer.

"I want my last moments to remain with me forever…"

"Aki, I…" He couldn't stop himself.

None of this looked right…and yet it did. His mind and body were at war with himself; one side telling him to stop while the other say, (_Go for it! What are you waiting for?! _**DON'T STOP!!**)

All of the clutter in his mind led him to forget what was going on and where he was. When his sense of awareness came to, he found himself staring into closed eyes, lips touching each other.

The monitors went dead, showing a simple green line across the screen. Kakashi ignored the noise, but his mind had caught it.

(_Am I…kissing a dead person?!_) Something was happening inside of him.

A sudden…drainage from within him. What was going on?! He felt so tired, but he forced himself to stay awake. And as he was slowly deteriorating, the cardiac monitor started to go up again. Color started to enter Aki's face as it left his, her cheekbones vanishing within the replacing layers of muscle and skin. Something was flickering white from below Aki's nose, but with his body so heavy to him and his senses becoming slow, he could care less.

Now it was starting to get internally hectic. Kakashi had to fight for a full breath, and his vision started to blur. He couldn't feel his legs, and he could only flex his fingers slightly. He tried to break away; he could have easily done it. But something inside of him told him not to cut the bond. Don't stop.

Aki's eyes slowly opened, her irises glowing a deep mahogany brown. Tears gingerly covered her eyes, some silently escaping her eye.

(_I'm so sorry, Kakashi…_) She squeezed her eyes shut, continuing the jutsu.

Her cheeks dripped blood from every pore. She suddenly felt Kakashi's chakra ratio, and broke off. Both gasped for breath, coughing slightly from the change in motion. Aki fell back against her pillows, a calm darkness taking her vision. The blood on her cheeks dripped off, but two marks were left behind. Something was different in her eyes.

A ring of red was leashed around her pupils.

"Thank you…" She blacked out, smiling.

Kakashi had a hand to his mouth, his tiring mind trying to calculate what exactly had just happened within the last three minutes. The monitors were beeping placidly now, telling Kakashi that Aki was going to be alright. Kakashi had enough strength to pull up his mask again, then his torso buckled over, and he passed out on the floor.

A blossom flew from the open window, and gently landed in Kakashi's outstretched hand. His fingers slightly closed around it.

…………

"-_Is he coming round?_-"

"-_His chakra should be fine in a day or_-"

"-_What exactly hap_-"

"-_Shh! He's waking_-"

Kakashi moaned slightly before opening his right eye.

"Where…?"

"Kakashi! Are you feeling alright now?" He sat up in bed.

"Huh?" He rubbed his forehead.

"What……happened?" The doctors gave each other sideways glances.

"We found you passed out on the floor in C13. You were still breathing, so that gave us no cause that you were dying. But we noticed a sudden fatigue in your system." The one who was speaking chuckled airily, "Lucky you were already in a hospital!"

Kakashi carefully stitched up what had happened back in C13. His eyes widen.

"What happened to Aki?! Is she gonna be okay?! What is her-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down, now. You looked like you had a rough time back there. Aki is fine. She'll been making a comeback recovery, and probably be out in four/five days."

Kakashi inhaled slowly, and exhaled in relief.

"For now, Kakashi, save your strength. We'll release you tomorrow." Kakashi nodded, and lay back down.

The doctors left him alone as he started to go back to sleep when something jumped onto the bed.

"Huh?" He opened his eye again, looking for what had jumped up.

He was staring straight into a small pair of beryl yellow eyes.

"Mrow?"

…………

"Kabuto- san, did you really have to go that faaar?" Orochimaru sat up in his chair.

"I had to escape."

"No, I meant the curse tag. Sure, she held promise, but she nearly died." Kabuto shrugged.

"We needed to know what she was capable of."

"And so you took your chance when you shot down her glider?"

Kabuto nodded.

"She is scarred forever." Orochimaru glowered at the floor.

"Orochimaru- sama, she is still alive and still possesses the demon."

"But now it's sealed! Did you not see the marks on her cheeks now?!"

Kabuto bowed his head.

"Her eyes are different now, though."

"Oh?" His eyes glimmered in dim light.

"They're redder this time, a ring of crimson circling her pupils. I think he is coming through." Kabuto gave a smug grin.

"Sikuliah could prove to be a powerful asset to the Sound."

"But we must tame him. I saw what he can do." Orochimaru grinned, his immaculate fangs resting on his lower lip.

"That's why I placed the Curse tag inside of her." Orochimaru slammed his fist on the table.

"Dammit, Kabuto-san! I told you evasive action only! ONLY! You disobeyed my orders with the tag! All we needed right now was information! You had to take it a step further! Suspicion is now fluttering around Konoha because of your stupid move and my encounter with Anko!" He clenched and unclenched his fist, "You're lucky she is still alive! Otherwise, I'd probably let Kimimaru tear you to pieces, since he wishes to prove himself to me!"

He exhaled a frustrated sigh, and leaned back in his chair.

"But then, I'd lose my physician." Kabuto grinned, his large round glasses gleaming in the light.

"Tell Tsukaji to keep an eye on Akiosu. She doesn't suspect him yet."

"Orochimaru- sama. We should act soon. We have already confiscated him from the Sand."

"Well, do not forget about meeting with him in four days time, understand? We need to keep this up before we can get our hands on Sasuke." Orochimaru grinned.

"Akiosu and Sasuke, one is an arrogant genius and the other is an angst genius who doesn't know she holds the birth of a new clan in her hands." He chuckled darkly to himself.

"We'll see who beat each other to become my heir…though, I've never been in a girl before…"


	19. Rooftop of Forbidden Love

"-_How could she have gotten out of bed_-"

"-_She was given an anesthesi_-"

"-_How'd she get_-"

"- _Her body was still hea_-"

Kakashi had visited Aki the next evening to talk to her about a certain matter. Now he was staring at an empty bed, her oxygen mask, IV tubes and EKG monitors lying in the opened sheets.

While all of the doctors were huddled around Aki's bed, Kakashi thoughtfully looked at the window that was obviously wide open. Making sure no one was looking, Kakashi stuck his head out the window, and saw something dangle in-between two shingles.

Quickly swabbing it off of the roof, he saw that it was hair. His eye widened, and searched down below. He didn't want to shout her name for fear that the doctors would either go berserk or hysterical. Or both.

Something dripped onto his face. He wiped some of the liquid off, and rubbing it between his pointer, middle and thumb, he saw that it was blood that was lightly still warm. Kakashi turned to see the doctors had left by now.

"Aki?" He whispered to the night.

Nothing answered except the evening cicadas.

"Aki?" He hissed.

The cool night air brushed against his face and hair.

"That's it; I'm coming up." He whispered with a grin.

Gripping a shingle firmly, Kakashi started to follow the strands of hair and droplets of blood. Konoha hospital was by no means short. It was a pain. Kakashi had to avoid as many windows as possible so that he wouldn't scared the patient inside to death or catch unwanted attention. His fingers slipped once or twice on the blood, and he had to grip the wall with his chakra to keep himself steady.

Before he reached the roof, something glinted in his field of vision. Hooking a foot into a niche and a hand around the edge, he snatched the gleaming object that was snagged in-between the clay stacks. He looked into his hand, and saw that it was Aki's dragon claw pendant. He grew worried that she had fallen, but a sudden cough from on the roof told him otherwise.

"God, why did I bring this along…?" Kakashi struggled to climb the last few steps, and finally came to the top.

He looked around the vast roof of the hospital, and saw it had a rather nice view of Konoha.

"Aki?" he called quietly.

Another cough was his reply. He turned and saw a shadowed figure lying on the roof. He squatted down on the roof.

****

…………

Something jingled in her hearing. She didn't want to turn her head, but she did when she heard the familiar "mrow".

"Karma?!" The little kitten trotted over to her, purring.

Aki scooped up the cat, and hugged her so close it was like she was never to let go.

"I thought you were dead!" The cat looked at her as if to say "yeah right".

Aki saw that the cat's front arm was bandaged and probably stitched up underneath. Something dangled around her small neck.

"What's that you have there?" Aki slipped the cord off.

She held up the necklace, the ball glittering in the moonlight.

"Hey, Aki." She looked over the pendant to see Kakashi.

A violent blush took over her face, and she curled up the other way. Feelings of stupidity and regret started to take over her system.

"Aki?" A hand touched her shoulder.

She jumped slightly, and looked over her shoulder.

"What are you doing up here, Aki?" She turned over, lying on her back with her arms spread out.

"I can't see the moon from my room." She was wearing the hoodie she had stowed away in her bag and her baggy hospital pants.

Kakashi smirked, and gave a small chuckle. He sat down beside her, Karma sitting on top of Aki's abdomen.

"Aki, about yesterday-"

"Forget it. It's the past now."

"Well, I just wanted to say-"

Aki rolled over.

"Is something wrong, Aki?"

She said nothing while petting Karma, who was getting agitated that she couldn't lie on her favorite person. Kakashi sighed, and looked back at the moon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Aki looked over her shoulder.

"So?"

Kakashi shook his head slightly.

"It's just that I've never noticed it like this before." He smiled.

Aki slowly turned back and curled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She shivered in the cold, her wrists still bleeding.

"This sucks." She whispered, looking at her bleeding wrists.

"Aki?"

"I guess this is somewhat like slitting your wrists…" She gave a wry smile.

Kakashi unnoticeably slipped an arm around Aki and pulled her closer. To hell with rationality. Aki looked at the moon with half open eyes, his warmth seeping into her shivering body. He gently rubbed her shoulder, his eye curved up in a crescent moon. She nudged closer to him, clinging to his warmth.

"But about yesterday…" She looked up at him.

He grinned.

"It was perfectly alright to ask for help, Aki." She looked at him with a pleasant look of surprise.

"Oh? Does that include the whole package?" Karma nibbled on her bracelet.

Kakashi chuckled, squeezing lightly on Aki's shoulder. She smiled, but already, she was starting to lose vision.

"Kakashi…"

"Well, maybe that was a bit rash but…"

Aki's eyelids struggled to stay open.

"I just wanted to say that…well…"

She passed out.

"Hmm? Aki?" He shook her shoulder gently.

Her head lolled in response to each shake, but her eyes remained closed. He smiled placidly, and gently rested Aki's head in his lap. Karma curled up in front of Kakashi's legs, and purred. He smoothed out Aki's hair, tied each of her wrists to stop the bleeding, and whipped out a copy of Icha Paradise. He flipped through the first couple of pages before giggling slightly and blushing. Thank God for the mask that was on his face.

****

…………

Sunlight and birds twittered in her senses. She slowly opened her eyes, rubbing her head.

"You awake?" She rubbed her eyes.

"A- A………ki?" She couldn't stifle the yawn.

She grinned.

"Hey, dude. Wassup?" Kage backed down slightly.

"What's wrong?" Aki tilted her head, confused.

"Aki? What are those on your face?" Aki brushed a hand against her cheek.

"Oh, these? Er, I don't really know for sure…" She shrugged, and smiled.

Kage didn't like this; what the hell was she smoking?!

"Aki? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine! I've just been released and I wanted to see you." Kage pulled back the sheets a little bit.

"What's wrong?" Aki rose an eyebrow.

"Aki. What's wrong with your eyes?"

{_WRONG?! Oh, why that little-!!_}

(Shut it.)

" "Wrong"?" She looked in the mirror.

"I don't see anything wrong."

Kage swallowed hard.

"Kage, what the hell is wrong?!"

"You are…"

"Kage…!" Aki's face was shocked.

"Ever since that dragon came out, I haven't had a decent night's worth of sleep!"

"You think **I** have?!" Aki scowled.

"You nearly killed me!" Kage started to shiver at the thought of those red eyes.

"But I didn't!"

"How was I supposed to know?! You probably would have killed me earlier!" She scuttled farther away from Aki.

"Hey, it's not MY fault for standing out there all vulnerable, now is it?!"

"So you DID see me! Why didn't you stop!?"

"You think it's easy?!" Aki's arms were akimbo.

"He's part of you! He should listen to YOU!"

"That's the thing, he doesn't!"

{_Damn straight_.}

(SHUT IT!)

"How will I know you won't lash out at me?! Or try and kill me!? Or-" Aki flicked Kage in the forehead.

"OW!"

"Dude, your mind often gets the better of you." Aki smirked.

Kage calmed down, but her fear was still high.

"I understand, Kage. You're afraid, I know." She tapped on her cheeks.

"These marks keep the big bad dragon away. I control him now."

{_Oh no, you ain't!_}

(_Siku_, **what did I say?!**)

{_Meep!_}

"I'll give you a day to think it over, okay?" She patted Kage on the head.

She got up and went to the door.

"This doesn't bust our friendship, by the way." She closed the door with a click.

****

…………

She looked around. What was wrong with these people?! She walked down the street to get back to her apartment, and they eyes from parents stared at her. Seeing the eyes made her uncomfortable. She broke into a run, taking a different path instead.

A few minutes later, she came across Story Rock. As if a bit of solace came from it, she sat down, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

"Ryu?" She looked up.

"Junshi?!"

"Ryu!! You're back!" The little boy wrapped his arms around her waist.

She smiled, ruffling the boy's hair.

"What story are you gonna tell me today, huh?!"

"Uh, well, I was thinking-"

"JUNSHI!"

Both of them jumped, and turned to look at a frazzled woman in her mid- 40's, holding a basket full of fruits.

"Junshi!! What did I say?!" she hissed, glaring at her son.

He squeaked, and tore himself from Aki. His mother snatched his hand, and dragged him off. Junshi looked back, tears in his small round eyes.

"I told you to stay away from that demon!"

Aki's spirit was shattered at those words.


	20. Shattered Sword of the Crescent Moon

**_MORE REVIEWS, DAMMIT!! I'M SCARED U GUYS AREN'T READING MY STUFF!!!_**

**_DON'T SCARE ME!!_**

* * *

"A demon, am I?" She looked at her hands, once again her mind locked in thought.

She was sitting underneath the sakura tree right outside of Konoha, seeing its many buildings and roofs.

{_Well, to a certain extent…_} She scowled.

(This is all **your** fault!)

{_No, it is not I to blame. You created me, remember?_}

(Shut up.)

{_Touchy today, aren't we?_}

(You've ruined what reputation I have here now.)

{_It'sss not like we're inssssane._}

"I'm talking to myself. I doubt that's proof of sanity."

{_Oh well._} His voice implied that he was shrugging.

Her brows lowered.

(YOU MORON! DON'T YOU GET IT?!)

{_Get what?_}

(Konoha's now going to research up on you AND me!)

{_So?_}

(And do you know what they'll find out?!)

{_…_}

(NOTHING!)

{_Isssn't that a good thing?_}

(NO, YOU BAKA RYU!)

He hissed.

(They'll interrogate us! They'll ask questions!)

{_So_?}

Aki glowered.

(**WE! DON'T! EXIST! HERE!**)

She could hear a cold chuckle in the back of her head.

{_And what of it? We have nothing to worry about. It'sss not like they can kill usss_.}

(That's just the thing: They **CAN** kill us!) A sickening feeling plummeted in her stomach.

"I don't wanna die."

{_Aki, you've dedicated yourself as a shinobi to Konoha! Our life will be in danger 24/7! Or have you forgotten?_}

(I won't be killed just as long as I know what will happen and where. I know the future, but I am the question mark.) She shivered.

{_You should have let me kill her_.}

(NEVER! She's my closest friend!)

{_She tried to kill Karma. Weren't you in the least bit enraged or_-}

(Shut up)

{_Not a bit? Not just a tad furi_-}

(SHUT UP!)

{_Oh, Aki…You know the bloodlust I have been begging of for soooo long…_}

Her eyes widened.

{_Let me have it_.}

(No!)

{_What is one life compared to a whole city? Just a bite. Not m_-}

(NO!)

{_Oh, Aki…_} He chuckled darkly, {_You cannot hold me off forever, seal or no seal_.}

Aki was holding back tears.

{_Give it to me_.}

(NEVER!)

{_Feed me_.}

(I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM ANYONE!)

{_You can't hold me off for long, Aki…_}

(SHUT UP!)

{_I'll come back, and when I do, no one will stand alive…_}

(I SAID SHUT UP!)

Images of detached bodies simmering in their own blood as the hybrid dragon bathed in his victim's crimson flooded into her mind. He licked his fanged jaws, blood painting his snout. In his clawed fist held a heart that was slowly coming to a halt. He squeezed the heart of its juice, letting it drip into his opened mouth, his blue tongue turning purple as it hung out on the side of his mouth.

{_Aaaaaaaaaaaakiiiiiiiiiiiii_}

"**SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP**!!!" She opened her eyes, looking around.

Well, the crickets had listened to her. The tree whistled softly in the night breeze, the petals glowing in the moonlight. She held her head in her hands, her eyes wide as she tried to grasp her sense of clarity. A tear left her horror- stricken eyes, softly splattering against the soft dirt. Her breath came out it hurried puffs and gasps, her mind still hooked on the dead image.

"What was that…?" Her whisper came close to breaking what courage she had left.

It was still that evening, not a movement stirring or a sound creaking. A perfect night for conspiracy.

**…………**

Hayate kept his back to the pillar, eavesdropping on Kabuto conversing with Baki.

"Here are our plans." Kabuto handed him a scroll, "Also, it's about time."

"Yeah."

"I'll excuse myself then." Kabuto started to turn to leave when his eyes widened.

"Oh, one more thing…"

Hayate knew he was busted for grinding his sandal into the ground to leave. He and Baki vanished in a poof of smoke.

**…………**

A sudden explosion was what caught Aki's attention from the merry- go- round from hell. Smoke billowed from a building adorned with twin fish statues, three long gashes sliced into the roof. Aki swallowed hard.

Dosu was dead.

And if that were true…OH MY GOD!

Aki leapt up from the rock. Hayate's death was hastily reaching its toll. Aki had to get there! BUT HOW?! She looked around, trying to find an instant way down there. DAMMIT! She'd force Kakashi to teach her the poofing trick some other time.

She literally ran around in circles until something caught her eye. Rushing towards it, she pulled of branches and bushes to uncover an old friend.

"Come on. Your duty's been called."

**…………**

"My my, Mr. Examiner, why are you out alone at this time?"

Hayate coughed.

(I have no choice, but to fight…)

Neither noticed a silent pair of bat wings closing in on the two fighters.

"Mikazuki no Mai!" Hayate's image split into two, and both were spinning towards Baki, swords gleaming in the moonlight.

Baki grinned, and held up two fingers, wind circling them.

"NOOO!!" A body flew into Hayate, knocking him out of Baki's way.

His katana sliced through the glider that Aki had uncovered, permanently damaging it. They both rolled across the roof, Aki sliding off of him.

"You!" Hayate gripped the hilt.

"Hayate, stop!" She gripped her shoulder, blood seeping through.

(I just missed the Kaze no Yaiba…that was too close…) She gritted her teeth.

"You! You're that demon!" That word struck Baki's ears.

"SoooOOOooo, you're the one Kabuto's been talking about…" he grinned, summoning another Kaze no Yaiba.

Aki clutched her shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

"What do you want with me?! You're just pawns to that snake!" Baki glared.

"What do you know, you stupid brat?!"

"Everything." She grinned, her eyes flashing pure red for a moment.

His jutsu dispersed, and he stared at the teenager that crouched in front of him. A looming black shadow rose from her back, pupiless red eyes seething at Baki as though he was its prey. She smirked, white fangs slowly coming forth.

"L_e_t _m_e _h_a_v_e _i_t…" She hissed, her tongue slowly elongating and turning blue.

Hayate was torn between running to warn the Hokage and stopping this demon that stood to either protect him or save him for later. He slowly got up, his sword tightly clamped in his fist.

Aki sensed his movement, and forming a few hands seals, slapped him backwards. She hissed.

"I _s_a_v_e_d_ y_o_u_r _s_i_c_k_ a_s_s _f_o_r_ w_h_a_t_?_! _S_o_ t_h_a_t_ y_o_u'_d_ g_e_t _k_i_l_l_e_d_?_! _G_e_t_ g_o_i_n_g_!_" Baki grew irked.

"When I talk to you, "He held up two fingers, "I expect you to listen!"

"KAZE NO YAIBA!!" A zinging blade of wind shot from his hand, and hurtled towards an unsuspected Aki/Siku.

"_G_O_!_ G_O_ N_O_W_!_"

"LOOK OUT!"

Aki's narrowed eyes widened as the wind blade aimed right for her.

"Dammit!" Aki shielded herself with her arms as she saw something slide out in front of her.

A terrible squelching sound was heard, and Aki felt something warm speckle her face. She looked down at her hands to see fresh blood stained on them. And below them, Hayate lay at her feet, a deep slash running from his heart to his right kidney.

Her mind jammed; she had failed. The one thing she wanted to change more than anything, and she had lost. She fell to her knees, staring at Hayate's inert body.

Baki grinned, and summoned a third Kaze no Yaiba.

"I'd kill you right now, so weak and vulnerable." His jutsu spun out, "But you have a price that Orochimaru- sama will pay dearly for."

He approached Aki, a hand reaching out to grip her. Automatically, her jaws clamped down on his hand, blood spewing from the cut. He slapped her, causing her fangs to drag through his skin and falling back.

"You brat! You're more trouble than you are worth!" He whipped out a kunai, and aimed it at Aki's throat.

She didn't reply this time, but just stared at Hayate.

"Hmph!" He drew a thin line in her neck, drawing small beads of blood.

"He will do this job now, not me." He vanished in a puff of smoke.

She stayed quiet, staring at him. As if someone had slapped her hard this time, she snapped out of her trance.

"Hayate! Hayate, you teme! Can you hear me?! HAYATE?!" He coughed, but blood was his sickness now.

"Hayate, you gotta stay with me! STAY WITH ME, DAMMIT!!" She tried to lift him up, but it was like lifting up Mt. Hokage with her pinkie.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" She bit her thumb, and pressed her palm against the roof.

Nothing happened.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!" She slammed her palm into the roof.

"NOOOO!! DAMMIT, **KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU**!" Aoihoshi appeared in an explosion of the proverbial blue clouds and feathers.

"Yo."

Aki was starting to lose focus.

"Aoihoshi…need…help…Hayate's…dying…" HE caught Aki, and placed him on his back.

"Say no more, friend." He carefully placed Hayate's bleeding body on his back, and he was speeding towards Konoha hospital.

**…………**

"HELP! SOMEONE!! HEELP!!" Aki dragged Hayate's body towards the ER doors.

"What in heaven's name is going-" The medic saw Hayate.

"OH MY GOD!" The medic barked orders to some others, wheeling Hayate into the hospital.

Aki slowly backed away, and turned as she sped from the hospital, blood staining her hands. She desperately yearned to rid herself of the crimson that soaked into her palms; it brought back the nasty image.

"And where are YOU going at this hour, Aki?" She seized up, and turned around.

"Huh?! P- Pocky dude?!" His sun blonde hair was speckled in moonlight.

"Wh- what are you doing here?!" He chuckled.

"For you, Akiosu." He smirked, a pocky stick hanging out of his mouth like a dagger.

"Who…who are you?!" He chuckled darkly.

"Ever wonder how Orochimaru knew of Sikuliah?" Aki shivered.

"It was because of me, Aki." He looked up.

"My name is Tsukaji."

He revealed a headband.

"And I come from the Sound."


	21. Pocky of Two Faces

Sowwy I took my time with this chappie. Camp and seeing **I, Robot **kept me from being on my Naruto vibe. Gomen nasai, minna. And now {dramatic drumroll}

ON WITH THE CHAPTER!!

* * *

"What do you want from me?!" Aki backed away slowly.

Tsukaji snickered, smiling a set of perfect white teeth.

"**I **do not want anything from you, but Orochimaru- sama does." He pulled out three senbon.

Aki swallowed hard, seeing the senbon. She knew she possessed a demon, but would there be higher attempts on killing her as well?! She'd rather not contemplate the possibilities at the moment.

"Now, " Tsukaji held the Pocky in his teeth like a dagger about to be thrown, "Are we gonna come quietly? Or do I have to take drastic measures, hmm?"

Aki trembled slight, before a voice intervened.

{_Shut up, you wuss._}

"Siku, shut up." She hissed through gritted teeth.

{_No. How can you let this guy get on our nerves!? I'd kill him if I was out, but seeing the current circumstances, I guess not._}

"HELL NO!! I ain't lettin' you try to kill someone! Foe or friend!" Tsukaji watched patiently, his eyes gleaming with interest as he nibbled down on his treat.

{_HE. IS. TRY-ING. TO. KILL. USSSSS!_}

(Running away always helps when in desperate situations.)

{_THISSSS is NOT the time!!! We have to fight!_}

"But we only just got out of the hospital!"

{_Do **I **give a damn!?_}

"YOU may not, but **I **do, thank yah very much!"

She heard the demon sigh discontentedly.

{_You're good at acting. Bluff._}

"Well, have you made your decision?" Half of his Pocky was gone in their conversation merely out of boredom.

Aki gulped, trying to calm down and plan out exactly how she would get away from Mr. Perfect. She nodded slowly, coming towards him.

"Good." He purred through clenched teeth to hold his Pocky in place.

Aki slowly came towards him, still planning out. When she reached him, she bowed her head. Tsukaji was amazed at how gullible Aki was, and reached out for her. Without warning, she bit down on his hand, her teeth sinking through his skin. He screamed in pain, and slapped her away.

"You bitch! I gave you a chance! Now, you'll pay!" Aki dodged one of his senbon, and snarled, forming hand seals.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!" She slammed her palm into the ground, blood smeared against her palm.

A small _pft_, but nothing more.

"WHA?!?!? NOT AGAIN?!?!" She pattered the ground with her palm, trying to make the jutsu work.

"GODDAMMIT, KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!!" Tsukaji laughed darkly, and charged for her.

"PLEASE!! WORK, DAMMIT!!" She looked up to see Tsukaji's foot meet her face.

She rolled across the pavement, blood loosely painted on the ground. She slowly got up, holding a hand to her bleeding nose. She sniffed, and looked at the blood in her hands. Her eyes widened.

{_Feeeeeeeed meeee._}

(No...no, I will not!)

{_You cannot resist me…my hunger will be your pain…Let me have it!_}

(**NO!!**)

{_GIVE IT TO ME!!_} Aki gripped her head, a searing pang shooting through her mind.

She cried out in desperation, the pain burning in her mind where she could not reach it. Her body slumped suddenly, her head bowed over.

Tsukaji narrowed his eyes, wondering if this was another trap or if she was for real. He warily approached her, pulling out the two senbon. He kicked her with his foot to see if she'd react. Red eyes flared into his sea blue, grinning in a malevolent and insane smile that pulled far too bad to reveal fangs dripping in saliva.

"_She'ssssss not here right now._" She flicked out a blue forked tongue.

Tsukaji's eyes widened; he never expected the demon to come out so quickly. Aki gripped his wrist and squeezed so tightly that she broke it, twisting Tsukaji's ruined hand behind his back to render him immobile.

"_You wanted a demon, you assssked for it._" Siku cackled darkly, pressing a foot against Tsukaji's back and breaking his arm.

He whipped him in the face with his restored tail, and clawed him in the abdomen, cutting vest, shirt and skin open. He saw the blood on her claws, and slowly licked them clean with his saliva- drenched tongue.

"You're sick!"

"_You're not the firssssst to ssssay that_." Sikuliah chuckled deeply in his throat.

Wings of shadow grew from Aki's shoulder blades, fanning out to block the moonlight on Tsukaji's body. Sikuliah squalled, spit and excess blood flying from his demented jaws. He fell onto all fours, scuttling towards Tsukaji like a beetle. With reflexes like lightning, Sikuliah latched a hand around Tsukaji's neck, and lifted him into the air, squeezing tighter.

"_If thissss was me in my true form, I'd kill you in point blank. Sssadly, I am ssstuck in this body, but not for loooong…_" He grinned, fangs reaching for Tsukaji's heart.

"W-Wait, Sikuliah- san! Orochimaru-sama wanted to give you power!" Sikuliah scoffed.

"_Power…oh, really? And how was intending to do that? Place a Curse Seal on usssss?_" Tsukaji saw the dragon tattoo burned into his right arm.

He grinned.

"Not in the least, Siku- san." Sikuliah squeezed harder.

"_You stink of liesssssss, Tsukaji_. _Your deceit makes me sick_."

He was coming close to snapping Tsukaji's neck, pressing his windpipe to the very extreme until the cartilage rings that held it in shape would crumple and suffocate him to death. Or a snapped spinal cord. He didn't know which he would die by first. He gripped the hand with his own, trying to breathe.

"_Power cannot be "given", my dear Tsukaji. It must be earned through victories and defeats. Die knowing this bearing on your conscience._" Tsukaji screwed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain to come and take him.

Instead, he felt the ground pummel what air was left in his desiring lungs, making him gag and gasp for breath. Sikuliah staggered back, holding his face.

"N_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_!_!_!" The eyes swirled back into the mahogany, the claws shrinking back.

The tail dispersed and the wings poofed into cloudy shadow and vanished. She breathed hard, a hand to her throat. The tattoos on her cheeks started to bleed again, burning a bright crimson like the blood spilt after a battle.

Tsukaji retained air and shakily stood up, still wheezing as he massaged his throat. Seeing Aki down, he grinned, and flung his senbon at Aki. She dodged one, but the other struck in dead center in the shoulder. She cried out in pain, trying not to fall. Tsukaji grinned, knowing something Aki did not.

"Now you're mine." He hissed, grinning.

He slinked towards her like a tiger retrieving his prey. Aki bent forward, trying to consume the pain before it did vice versa to her.

"Come."

"Iie." Aki spit blood into her palm, and pressed it against the stone.

"WHA?!"

"**KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!!**" A tornado of blue feathers and smoke appeared, and Aoihoshi loomed over Tsukaji.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Aoihoshi leered at Tsukaji, whipping his tail behind him.

He was so freaked out that he tripped backwards and fell on his behind, trembling at the great stingray. He flicked his barbed tail again, the stinger glowing demonically in the moonlight.

"We will meet again. I swear it!" He yelled out in a jittery voice, his body vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Aoihoshi grinned triumphantly before turning to Aki.

"Howdy, Ak-" He tilted his flat head in confusion.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Aoihoshi, but thank you." She formed a hand seal.

"Aki?!"

"Tai!" He poofed in a swirl of feathers and smoke.

Aki looked down at the senbon lodged in her shoulder. Wiggling it slightly in her flesh and gritting her teeth, she wrenched out, a small trickle of blood falling from the wound. She looked at the senbon, holding it up in the moonlight. A strange glimmer slicked down the needle, as thought it was…

…Covered in something…

Aki gasped. Her vision slowly doubled, the needle fading from her sight. She struggled to get up, her energy being sapped within every strain on her muscles to take. She had to get home before she passed out. She lamely ran towards the direction she knew was home, hoping Kage was waiting there for her.

…………

Where the hell was she?! She said just a stroll! Kage strutted around Aki's apartment, worried if something had happened to her closest friend.

"Oh, where is she?! Sure, I gave it thought to tell her that I don't care if she possesses a demon or not, just as long as she'll still be my friend, but NO! She had to delay and dawdle! SHEESH! I mean," She paced back and forth faster as her self- conversation sped up.

"And now I bet she's probably covered in-" A hideous **_BANG_** was heard on the door, shutting up Kage.

"AKI?!" She rushed to the door, unbolted the lock, and swung it open.

She gasped, her eyes wide.

"Kage…please…" She keeled over, dead tired to the world.

"AKI!" She caught her before she fell, Aki's head resting against her shoulder.

She coughed meekly, moaning slightly against her shoulder.

"Aki, it's okay…" She carefully dragged Aki to her bed, placing her at the edge.

She peeled off Aki's shirt, and gasped at how many scars littered her body, much less the senbon wound. Aki started to fall forward. Kage caught her in the crook of her arm and gently pushed her back up, lying her down. She pulled the covers up to Aki's waist before going into the bathroom for a First Aid.

"Aki, you moron." She dabbed some rubbing alcohol against the senbon wound, "What the hell did you get yourself into THIS time?!"

…………

Sunlight bathed her face the following morning, birds gently twittering outside her glass pane door. She slowly opened her eyes, looking around. Did she make it? Was she alive? Where was Kage?

"Morning, sleepyhead." Aki turned her head to see Kage sitting next to her, smiling.

"Sleep well?" Aki tried to sit up in bed, but her shoulder hurt like hellfire, her arm numb and the wound stinging.

"Hey, stay still, dummy. You did a small number on yourself." Aki saw the sling Kage's arm was in, and bowed her head.

She was gone long enough for Kage to make up her mind.

"Aki?" She felt her chin being pulled up by Kage, " I forgive you, if that's what you're worried about."

Aki stared at her, nonplus.

"W- what?" Kage suddenly grabbed Aki in an warm embrace.

"I said I forgive you. You're still my closest friend and "adoptive sister"." Aki chuckled softly, sighing.

"Thanks, Kage."

"Mei-….Meiker…um…"

" "Meiki sanba"?"

"Yeah." Kage sweatdropped, making Aki laugh.

…………

"Tsukaji, I am vexed by your report." Orochimaru's beryl eyes glowed with frustration, rolling an apple in his hands thoughtfully.

"H- How so, milord?" Tsukaji bowed slowly in front of the snake, his arm in a sling and a black eye taking over his right one.

"Your orderssss, were only to, and ONLY, to retrieve Akiosu. And what happened instead?" He gripped the apple in his hands tightly.

Tsukaji swallowed.

"YOU LET HER ESCAPE!!!" The apple exploded in his death grip, "AND BLABBER TO BAKI THAT HE WAS A PAWN!! DOES THIS HELP OUT OUR PLANS?!?! I DON'T THINK SO!!" He glared at Tsukaji, and he suddenly fell to his knees, clasping a hand to a spot on the side of his neck.

"I could kill you, right here and now." The pain intensified on Tsukaji's neck.

"M-Mercy, Orochimaru- sama! I made a miscalculation- **AUUUUUUGHH!!!!**"

"A PITIFUL ONE, TSUKAJI!!" His glare darkened.

"**AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGHHHHHH!!!!!**"

"But no." Orochimaru took his gaze off of Tsukaji.

He body swayed slightly, blood leaked from his mouth before he fell backwards, an arch of blood circling around his head.

"I'll give you another chance. And the rewards are bountiful if you succeed." Tsukaji coughed.

"Ari…Ariga…gatou, milord."

"But, if you fail," Orochimaru held in the word, "Death won't be half as bad as what I can do."

Tsukaji gulped, unable to moving as the pain dully throbbed through his entire system. Orochimaru sighed.

"Go to Kabuto. I can't have you in this disarray." Orochimaru stared at his apple- drenched hand as Tsukaji bowed and limped away.

He flicked off a piece, thinking as he did so. He chuckled darkly, his beryl eyes glowing in the dim light like headlights.

"Akiosu, you cease to amaze me."


	22. Evolution of Flesh and Blood

**_MORE REVIEWS, PWEASE!!!! _GOOD _ONES, PWEASE!!!_**

**Kit- **C'mon, dude! We can think of a better review than THAT one!

AND THE REST OF YA'S; WHERE ARE YA'S?!?!

{grumbles} Lazy, good- for- nothing...

* * *

"I'd rather dance than talk with you, I'd rather dance, I'd rather dance than talk with you." Aki muttered the words as she bopped her head to Kings of Convenience's "I'd Rather Dance With You". 

"Okees, time for lunch, Musichead." Kage sat down in a chair by Aki's, two bowls of ramen in her hands.

Aki hadn't heard her as she shimmied in her bed and bobbed her head to the music. She lightly snapped her fingers and grinned as the beat picked up. The music suddenly stopped with a small beep and she glowered at Kage.

"I was having fun, Kage." She pouted, folding her arms.

"I noticed." Kage handed Aki one of the bowls.

"Ah, thanks, dude." Aki flicked off her headphones to take the bowl.

Aki started slurping down her ramen while Kage took her time, eyeing the scars on Aki. She could sense the look coming from Kage, and looked up.

"Wassup?"

"Aki, how did you get those?" Kage put down her bowl, eyeing a few certain scars.

Aki looked down, and saw the raised lines on her sides and abdomen.

"These?" Aki sighed, putting her bowl down as well.

"Most of these were already made before I landed here. Corona made this one and this one. Remember her?" Kage nodded with a disgusted look on her face.

"Well, we got into a fight, and decided to use her manicures as a weapon…" Aki reverted back to that fight, and something struck her.

That voice. The hatred she felt coil through her system when she had Corona within her death grasp. It was Sikuliah.

And what of that other voice? Was that the older- looking version of herself she saw back at Nami no Kuni? If it was, she hadn't heard from her in a LONG time.

"Her parents hoarded her to a hospital where she got minor cuts and bruises, a scratch or two on the face." She scowled darkly, remembering everything that had happened before she was transferred to the Naruto realm.

"I needed stitches for my cuts, but was I given medical attention? No. Hell no." Aki shook her head, massaging one of the healing cuts.

A tear left her eye.

"What did I do wrong?" She looked at Kage.

"Where did my family go sour?" She looked at her wrists.

The dried, scaly skin seemed to pronounce itself more now, some pieces flaking off.

"Why me?" Tears rolled off her face.

"Aki?"

"Why was I given this? I never asked for it! I never wanted it! Why?!" Kage, hearing Aki's hysterics, snagged Aki into a warm, loving embrace.

"Don't ever say those things!"

"The school hated me! I swear it!! They were just itching for me to do something wrong! And boy, did they get it…" Her face screwed into a dark scowl.

Kage shushed Aki softly, rubbing her back gently.

"It's in the past, Aki. Shhhhhh." Aki let it all out in her crying, "It's okay, you can cry all you want."

"Fucking pricks…" Aki sniffed.

"Yeah, they are." Kage grinned.

Aki slowly pulled back, smiling at Kage.

"Thanks."

"Hey, anything for a friend."

"_Anything_?" Aki grinned slyly.

"Well, not ANYTHING." Kage picked up her bowl and went back to eating one handed.

Aki smirked, but a dark thought still lingered in her mind.

She was listening to music.

There was no chakra.

…………

"Now, I have called you all here to discuss an important topic." The Hokage leaned back in his seat, surveying all of the jounin silently.

"Yes, Hokage- sama?"

"We have recently discovered a new demon in our midst." Hushed whispers rippled through the group.

He held up a hand to silence them.

"We have also found out certain information that one jounin here did not present earlier." Kakashi kept his bored face.

"We have found out that this ryu demon's name is Sikuliah. We do not know where he came from and what he intends to do."

Asuma side- glanced with Gai, and both were worried.

"I suggest that we seal this demon before harm befalls our village again. We all know what happened a decade ago…" Some grimaced.

"If I may, Hokage- sama." Kakashi stood up.

"You may speak."

"Akiosu was found on our route to Nami no Kuni when we escorted Mr. Tazuna. She was wounded and wore strange garments at the time. It was a tattoo I saw in her palm that made me think she was ambushed and came from Konoha." He paused.

No one spoke.

"Of the demon, Sikuliah, I did not know when and where he possessed Aki. And how confuses me more. But in my eyes, sealing is too late for Aki." The Hokage raised his eyebrows.

"Why say that?"

"Because the demon has merged with her." Hushed flurries of words were exchanged.

"What do you mean by "merged", Kakashi?"

"When I visited her in the hospital, I saw that her eyes were not hazel anymore, but a deep mahogany. Not only that, but two blood red tattoos were on her cheeks. Presumably, these are to keep the demon at bay."

"Why merge though?"

"I think…"

"Hai?"

"I think she is undergoing an evolution with the demon."

…………

"Feeling better?" Kage rapped a hand against the bathroom door.

"Not really." Came a parched voice.

"Take your time then."

Kage grimaced as she heard Aki lose her stomach for the third time. After a few moments silence, save for the spitting, the bathroom knob turned and a pale- looking Aki trudged out.

"Sorry, mate."

Kage felt her forehead.

"Hey, it's okay. You better lie down." Aki did so, gritting her teeth slightly from the pain in her shoulder.

Kage came back with a thermometer and placed it in Aki's mouth.

"Damn, this ain't your day, it is?" It read 108.6 ° F.

Aki gurgled.

"I guess not…" She moaned, "Damn, why do I feel so crappy?"

Kage sighed.

"I dunno." She shrugged, getting an ice pack from the fridge to cool Aki's forehead down while she tucked her in with blankets.

Aki coughed, sniffing. Rain began to fall.

Thoughts never left her alone as she lay there; why was the senbon drugged and not poisoned? What did Orochimaru want from her? How did the village find out she was a holder of a de- wait a minute…she could answer this one.

Ino.

That son of a bitch. Aki remembered hearing her blabber about the demon she saw in the prelims and how she miraculously survived it (even though she just watched Siku from afar) in a restaurant she passed one day. That bitch; she was SOO gonna get it! Thoughts of Corona and her gang flooded into Aki's mind; not what she needed when she had a fever.

She sighed. This was certainly NOT her day…

Some time later, a knock was heard on the door. Aki had taken a sleeping pill since it was practically hopeless to sleep with the pain and the nausea. Kage closed her book and got up, rain blanketing the glass pane door.

"Yes?" she asked quietly.

"Open up, please. It's Kakashi." Kage unbolted the latch, and opened the door.

"Please be quiet. Aki's sick." Kakashi scratched behind his head before quietly entering.

Aki shivered in her sleep, turning over a few times in making the ice pack slip off. Kakashi took a seat near Aki, watching her with interest while keeping his "blah" face on.

"Any reason why you came here, Kakashi?" Kage sat down in her seat, opening her book up.

"I had some news for her, but if she's not feeling well, I can wait." Kage chuckled slightly, reading her book.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Kakashi sighed, and placed a hand on Aki's forehead. She jerked slightly at his touch, her eyebrows twitching. A sliver of pity rose in Kakashi's heart; he had to empathize with her slightly. She had been a target to Gato, didn't get along with Inari very well, was wounded many times, altered in their world, and possessed a demon.

…It had been one hell of a day for Aki…

Unconsciously, Kakashi's chakra had seeped into her forehead from his hand as he thought and felt sorry for her and wished he could've helped her in some way. Her flushed cheeks grew deeper as she gritted her teeth.

"Hmm?" Kage looked up from her book.

Aki's fists curled up silently as the chakra continued to flow into her body.

"Kakashi?" He didn't hear her.

He couldn't hear anything or see anyone anymore. He had locked himself in. He tried to pry his hand off, but something dark held his hand down tight as though it was glued there. And he was no longer "giving" his chakra to Aki. It was being sucked out of him as though he were a straw. Red eyes flared open, swirling with black in the irises. An insane and psychotic grin curled back Aki's lips, showing immaculate fangs poised on her bottom lip.

"_Hello, Kakashi_." Came a hoarse, occult voice from Aki's vocal cords.

His eyes widened.

"Sikuliah, let me go!"

"_Iie. Our body starves for chakra. We cannot pass such an opportunity_."

"What are you starving for chakra?"

"_Mainly from our wounds, but also…It has to do with Aki's feeble mind._"

"What do you mean?" Kakashi was starting to lose focus.

"_She has been falling back into her old self. Not caring for life anymore, caring for her friends, not even you._"

His chaotic grin widened.

"_And besides, this is between me and Aki._" A painful bolt of chakra sizzled up Kakashi's arm and overloaded his senses with scenes of death.

He found himself being killed over and over again, from being torn to bits to having his heart torn out and slowly devoured by the demon dragon right before his dying eyes.

Sikuliah closed his eyes, listening to the screams.

"_Ahhhh, much better then the crap Aki forces me to listen to…_"

Kakashi tried so hard to remove his hand from Aki's forehead, but suddenly, black tentacles of shadow bound his hand to Aki's forehead, forcing him to give up his chakra as a searing pain was in exchange. He screamed, but his voice refused to work. He tried to move, but it was like he was rooted to the spot he sat in. His brain shrieked commands for his body to move, but they were locked in the roller- coaster of pain and hell.

"………Kakashi…!!!…"

Pain pummeled his senses over and over and over again and again.

"……KAKASHI…!!!"

His chakra was very low at this point; he couldn't even open his eyes.

"**KAKASHI!!!**" A sudden and rather violent shake on his shoulder snapped him out of the malevolent phase.

He blinked, and suddenly looked around wildly. He tore his hand away from Aki's head, and her body slumped. He tried to get out of his seat, but with the lack of energy to his legs, he tripped back and fell out.

"Kakashi?!" Kage stood above him, startled and confused, "Kakashi, are you okay?!"

"I'm fi- fine…"His breath came in and out in sharp jets.

"You look pale. Are you sure?"

"Y-yes, I a- am…" He looked down at his vibrating hand.

He scurried up and rushed to the door.

"I- I have to go." No poofing trick this time.

He fumbled with the lock on the door, swung it open and slammed it shut behind him as he made a mad dash to his apartment.

Kage blinked, standing in front of Aki as she stared at the door.

"What's **his **problem…?" She turned back at Aki, and placed the ice pack back on her forehead.

She went back to reading her book, the rain thickening.

Aki's eyes flared open, red leering at her.

…………

Don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out…

Kakashi staggered down the water- swept dirt paths, trying to get back to his apartment.

Don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out…

What happened?! The demon has emerged slightly to tell Kakashi something, but what was it?!

Don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out…

Why did it take his chakra…? And why only his? Was this the merging he spoke of? If it was, he should know not to interfere…but what made him?

Don't pass out…don't pass out…don't pass out…

Why did he not let go? It felt like a genjutsu, but why wouldn't he snap out of it? Was it because…?

Don't…pass...out……don't…pass…out……don't…pass…out……

No, why would he do it because of that?! That's insane! But…then again…after that happened…He shook his head rapidly. No, it was something else. It had to be.

You're lying, Kakashi.

No, he wasn't! Go away!

Just fess up; you didn't **want **_to let go._

Urusei; of course he wanted to let go!

You're a terrible liar, Kakashi…

LEAVE ME ALONE!

Don't………pass……out………Don't………pass……

Kakashi keeled over sideways, his body splattering the mud around him as the rain pelted his exhausted face.

"Aki…" He passed out, his keys stuck in the knob of his apartment building door.__


	23. The Vicious Cycle of Insanity

YOU'RE INSANE!!

I'M INSANE!!

WE'RE ALL GOING INSANE!! XD

* * *

Something was sniffing his face.

"Muhhh…"

A tongue started to lick his covered nose.

"Whu?" Kakashi opened his eyes.

Two, deep brown eyes stared back at him, wagging its tail. Kakashi blinked, and the stray dog licked his face again happily.

"Where am I?" Kakashi slowly tore himself from the mud crater he had made when he collapsed last night.

The stray woofed at Kakashi's sudden movements and nuzzled up against his mud- drenched side.

"Huh?" He ruffled the matted fur on the dog's head, giving a small smile.

He gingerly got up, wincing from a pain in his side and abdomen. He swayed slightly as he stood up, holding the threshold of the door for balance. He turned the keys that hung in the knob, and fell into the building.

His arms were the only things that kept him going; his legs just dragged behind as they held Kakashi's torso up like stilts. He pulled his body up the stairs, and leaned his forehead against his apartment door as he fumbled with the keys. Slipping in the right one, his door swung open and he nearly collapsed again from the sudden motion. He caught himself and staggered to the bathroom, removing his dirty vest, shirt and pants as he got to the shower.

He stood there, letting the water run down his body as his thoughts ran rampant in his mind. Why? Why had Aki been possessed by this demon? His soaked gray hair stuck to his face as he slid it aside and blew the water off his lips. He looked up, staring at the tile as dark thoughts circled his rationality, red eyes sneering at him. His brows lowered as a glare creased his perfect face.

"Siku- teme…you really ARE a demon…" He turned off the water.

The color contrast in the room suddenly swapped over, a monochromatic of greens taking over the room, none of them pleasant. Kakashi's colors went into the negative.

{_And what if I am?_} Kakashi's head shot up, looking into the bathroom mirror.

The lines of light on his mirror grew, and in the blind white image, a dragon's face appeared.

{_Ohayoo, Kakashi. Sssssleep well?_} The dragon's lips curled in a demonic grin.

"Leave me alone, Sikuliah." Kakashi turned around to leave the room.

{_You don't know, do you?_}Sikuliah purred his words through closed jaws, grinning sterile white fangs.

Kakashi stopped.

{_You've bound yourself to meeeee._} He wheeled around to face the dragon's head.

"What are you talking about?!" Sikuliah gave a deep and dark chuckle.

{_You were right; we are merging. But we never expected you to interfere. Now you have bound a part of yourself to ussss. And vice versa._} A searing pain shot through Kakashi's head.

His body seized up as he gritted his teeth.

{_Which gives me all the power to see through your eyes, to hear what you hear, to feel what you feel, and inevitably control you._} Siku licked his fangs with a blue forked tongue.

"Iie, Sikuliah. That's where you're wrong." Another pang slammed into his mind.

{_Oh? How so?_} His grin widened, {_The way I sssssee it, you've been slowly withering away as soon as you touched her forehead._}

He cackled, a glare in his slits as the blood red eyes bore into Kakashi's obsidian and garnet ones.

"H- How can that be?" Kakashi looked at Sikuliah with one eye screwed shut.

{_The tentacles have bound your chakra into Aki. Now, with that…_} His eyes narrowed in a devious smile.

{_Almost anything is possible._}

"I- IIE!" Kakashi shook his head.

Sikuliah started to laugh; a deep, passionate chuckle that burbled in his throat until it became a full out arrogant, almost psychotic jitter.

"I WON'T BE TAKEN!" Kakashi's fist slammed into the mirror, shattering the material as it clinked against the ceramic of his sink.

Blood seeped from his wounded knuckles, shards of the reflective glass impaled in his skin. His breathing was deep and slow, the cackling image of Sikuliah still chiseled in his mind. Kakashi slowly massaged his temples, ignoring the pain in his knuckles.

"I'm not going insane; my chakra's low, that's all." He kept on telling himself, but each one ebbed away at the lie he was telling himself.

He flopped onto his futon, his body still damp and his hair dripping wet. He pulled up the covers over his head, and was out cold in least than three minutes as the crimson dawning sun rose from the horizon.

A pair of bright yellow eyes slinked from a corner in his apartment, sniffing the wound on his hand. The kitten slowly licked the blood away from his wound, not like a ravenous wolf finding food, but like a mother cat cleaning her child. She gently clamped down on the shards and wiggled them out of his flesh, the skin healing over.

Karma purred and curled up on Kakashi's abdomen, sleeping soundly.

…………

She wished for death as she lay there. She was too sick to eat, and not eating made her even sicker. Her limbs ached; moving a finger took all of her energy to do. Kage grew worried. It had already been a week into the month the Hokage had given the finalists to prepare for the third installment.

"Aki? Come on, you have to eat." Kage smirked.

"Remember all those times you came home from camp and got online and told me you didn't eat lunch?" Aki coughed a weak laugh.

"Hai, I remember." Aki swallowed, her throat parched of thirst.

Aki whimpered, and saw that her knuckles were bleeding. She gritted her teeth as she felt Sikuliah's presence tear away at her insides, trying to get out. She lay there, dazed as her vision slowly darkened. She couldn't hear anything as the ryu's riling laughter consumed her ears. Was this true insanity? She could sympathize with Gaara if it was.

She blinked; green eyes? A pair of pale jade green eyes stared into hers, calming her body as it brought a warmth to her soul. Her mind had been on a more Disturbed set but when she saw the eyes, for some reason, she heard the song "Trouble" from Coldplay recede in her head.

{_Rest, Aki_} The green eyes lulled her into a rather peaceful sleep.

The pain that spiraled inside of her was slowly dissipated as a calm took over. And she thought the color green for some reason.

…………

He stood in front of his closet mirror, staring at the image that glared back at him. His wound had already clotted, the skin discolored and raw. He breathed slowly and heavily, trying to see past his reflection.

"What is this I'm feeling?" He rested a hand against his heart, the feeling of darkness clouding his mind.

He looked up at the mirror and jumped. His image grinned darkly at him, red eyes staring into his mismatched ones.

"_Hello, Kakashi_." He cooed softly.

His eyes narrowed.

"Go away, Sikuliah." A sudden pang ran up his arm, numbing his nerves.

"_Oh, is this how you greet your student?_" Kakashi's image flowed like water, and standing before him was Aki.

Her eyes were closed, her body covered in hot white gashes. Kakashi's eyes widened.

"What have you done to her?!" Sikuliah chuckled deeply.

"_No no no, it is not what _**I **_did to her,_" he grinned slyly, "_It is what did YOU do to her._"

"Urusei, Sikuliah." Kakashi hissed, glaring at the ryu's voice.

"_Iie, Kakashi. You're not in the position to command anyone._" Another lightning pain spilt through his head.

He fell to his knee, gripping his head. His look- alike stared down at him, grinning darkly and chuckling as Kakashi suffered at his feet.

"_Get up_." Kakashi stood up shakily.

The image drew a set of claws, and he ran his blue forked tongue up them slowly, his red eyes glinting. He cackled at Kakashi's disgusted face.

"_Oh yessssss, Kakashi. I too could take over you._" Kakashi's brow lowered in a death glare.

"THAT will **never **happen." He growled, and with a quick movement, he slammed his closet mirror closed.

He looked down at his hands, his breath coming out in a tremble. The once surgeon- steady hands were now shaking slightly as he brought them to his face. He fell to his knees, tears slipping past his hands.

"Help me."


	24. Okami and Ryu

THANK U SO MUCH, **HOKUGENSHADOWWOLF!! **{To the audience} SHE SAVED ME!! SHE SAVED ME!!!

{Bear hugs Hoku} SHE SAVED ME FROM THE DEADLY, MERICLESS…

****

WRITER'S BLOOOOOOOCK!!!!

* * *

Kage knew this wasn't a mere fever anymore. She saw the blood that soaked Aki's bed every time she got up to go to the bathroom. She saw the look on Aki's face as she lay there, unable to sleep.

"Aki, listen to me." She tried to open one of her eyes.

"Aki, tell me the truth; this isn't a fever, is it?" Aki whimpered and nodded slightly.

"Aki, what's going on?" She tried to speak, but her voice refused to work.

"Is it…that demon?" Aki's eyes shot open, panic chiseled in them.

Kage swallowed hard, and took Aki's hand into her own.

"Aki, it's okay." Aki exhaled airily before heaving her chest to breathe.

"I'm going to help you." Even though Kage's voice was soft, a sense of command lay subtle underneath.

Aki's eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly. Kage placed a finger on Aki's lips to shush her.

"You can't do this on your own." She gripped Aki's hand firmly.

Aki's brows lowered in a glare.

{_Of course **WE** can!_} A painful shock of chakra spiraled up Aki's arm and into Kage.

She gritted her teeth and held tighter to Aki.

"I won't lose you, Aki." Red eyes flared in Aki's face.

"_Worthlessss piece of flesh and blood! Release ussss!_" He injected more of his black chakra into Kage.

"Do you…think I'm worthless, Aki?" A deep growl rumbled in her throat.

"_RELEAS_-" He choked on his words as a feeble voice broke through.

"Iie…Kage, don't do thi-"

"_Go on; kill yoursssself. She doesssn't ca_-"

"Kage, please! Don't sacrifi-"

"_Ssssee if we care. You're scar_-"

"PLEASE! DON'T!"

Kage clenched her jaws, focusing her chakra.

"I'm sorry, Aki." She looked down at her suffering friend.

"You mean too much to me." She focused her chakra into Aki, concentrating as she ignored the painful blots Sikuliah sent into her.

She opened her eyes to find herself in darkness. Black smoke circled her legs like serpents waiting to snatch their prey.

"_Sssssssssssssssso…_" A shadow in the darkness made itself present slowly, "_You've decided to join ussssssss._" A blue tongue slowly furled with his smooth words of pure poison.

Kage's eyes narrowed as the demon ryu stepped into the unknown light. He stood up on his hind legs, giving a disdainful look to Kage as he loomed five and a half feet above her head.

"Stop this, Sikuliah. This is suicide!" His red eyes narrowed.

"_Thisssssssss isssssss none of your businessssss._" He lowered his head to sneer into her eyes.

"_You're ssssstill afraid of me. I can sssssssee it in those demon eyessssss of yoursssss._" His tongue flicked out with each "s" he pronounced.

Kage swallowed; she never backed down before, and she was not about to any time soon. But what was this feeling prowling around inside of her.

"_I know your true fear…_" He purred through his closed fanged jaws.

Kage's eyes widened.

"_You've been fearing it ever sssssinccce you were born…_" A demonic grin spread across his dragonic lips.

"_You were always afraid…that you would find her…_" He slowly approached her, fanning out his deep swamp green wings.

"Wh- what do YOU know?!" He chuckled darkly.

"_Everything_."

He kept getting closer to her, and she was backing away.

"_Sssscared?_"

Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm not going to let you take control of her! She's your host…but more importantly, she's my friend."

"_Awwwwwww_," He sniffed, "_So moving_." He mockingly dragged a claw under his eye as if to wipe away a tear.

"You're just a stitched up quilt of Aki's fears; you know nothing of her kindness, her humor, her love-" His eyes flashed at the word.

"_Let ussss assssk you thissss; would you love, even if it was never there to quench your thirssssst for life? Fill your hunger for purpossssse? Ease your pain of existancccce?_"

Kage opened her mouth to protest, when she stopped herself, and thought about it.

"_Didn't think sssssso._" He clicked a pair of black claws thoughtfully.

"_I'll give you a choiccccce; either leave thisssss alone or let your body and life be mine. Which shall it be?_"

Kage scoffed, grinning.

"**Just** me?" She grinned.

Sikuliah's eyes widened as he sensed the pale jade green eyes. A canine growl was heard before the gargantuan black wolf pinned Sikuliah down, holding his head with his powerful jaws.

"Good job, Fen."

"_YOU!! You perssssisssstant baka okami- teme!!! I should have killed you when I had the chanccccce!!!!_"

His tail thrashed about, hitting the wolf in the side and head. Sikuliah jammed a claw into the wolf's back leg, a whine coming from the wolf before it was quickly replaced with a ferocious growl.

"_RELEASSSSSE ME!!_" Kage grinned.

"Oh, we're doing that." Something about her smile made Sikuliah uneasy.

Kage closed her eyes, focusing her chakra.

"Sikuliah. You are no longer able to fuse with Aki. You have been leashed." Suddenly, white chains sprouted from the black floor, and latched themselves to the dragon, glowing an immaculate white. He screamed in pain, the wolf holding tighter to the skin on the back of his neck at his front paws held his wings down.

"_Y- You're hurting he-her asssss well- AUUUUUUUUUUGHHH!!!!!_"

"No…that is where you are wrong." Kage looked into the darkness.

"AKI?" She called out to the darkness, ignoring Sikuliah's squalls of agony.

Her voice echoed, but nothing answered.

"Aki?!" Something stirred.

[Who are you?]

"Aki? Is that you?"

[Yes and no.]

"Can you show yourself?"

[…]

Kage wondered if the voice had walked off or was contemplating.

[Yes.]

A person slowly melted out from the shadows, staring at Kage with deep cobalt blue eyes.

[Ahhh, yes. I remember you. Though, I see you have changed as well as us.]

"Who…who are you?" The figure chuckled softly.

[You've rarely ever seen me.] The person stepped into the unknown light.

Kage jumped; she looked just like Aki!

[Well, I noticed Aki has fancied names for her sides, so I guess I'm called Lenza.] She narrowed her eyes at the sight of Sikuliah.

[It is not Aki who has lied to us, Sikuliah. It has been you. You lied to both of us as soon as Aki said she would accept us. How could you?]

{_It's my job, Lenza._} He grinned before whimpering in pain.

[You're pathetic, Sikuliah. You'll kill until you swallow your own demise in one gullible bite!] He hissed before it was cut off.

[Using Aki as a pawn JUST so that you could get him as well!]

"Him?" Lenza turned her eyes at Kage, and she froze up at the blue bore into her tiger-eyes.

Lenza stared at Kage for what seemed like centuries until she looked back at Fen. He licked his muzzle, seeing that Sikuliah surrendered to the pain and lay limp on the floor.

[Quite a creature. He listens to you?] Kage was taken aback.

"Uh, it's more of a partnership." Fen trotted over to Kage, nuzzling her slightly in the side.

She held Fen's chin, looking into his green eyes. She whispered something into his pricked ears, and his eyes widened. He whined slightly, looking at Kage with worried eyes.

"It's okay; I'll be fine." She hugged him tightly before letting go.

He bowed his huge head before walking back to Sikuliah. He bowed his head, and began to lick away the blood from Sikuliah's wounds.

[Hmm? You told him to?]

Kage nodded.

[If it'll keep him down…You have no idea what it's like to hear him pratting on about death and how he loves blood so much…] Lenza shook her head, sighing.

"I can only imagine." Kage's vision blurred slightly.

[Rest now, Kage. You've used up a lot of your chakra for us. But I hope we can give some small exchange for what you have done…]

"Oh please, it was nothing." Kage sweatdropped before she suddenly became woozy.

[Kage…]

"Uh?"

[Let go.]

Her eyes flared open, light and shape demolishing her sight. The shapes swayed, but she saw Aki lying asleep. Kage fumbled over to her futon that lay next to Aki's bed, and flopped down on it, feeling the world spiral down the drain that had been pulled in her mind.

Something black and furry popped its head over the side of the bed and gracefully leapt onto Kage's futon. Her deep purring carried over to Kage's unconscious ears, where the little kitten licked Kage's earlobe. She snuggled under the covers and curled up next to Kage's beating heart.

…………

"99.7° , not bad." Kage held up the thermometer.

Aki yawned, her eyes groggy.

"Does that mean I can get up?" Kage chuckled, and shook her head.

"I just want to be safe. You're not going anywhere until it goes back to 98.6° ."

"I feel fine." Aki pulled down the blankets.

"Ah ah ah." Kage tickled Aki, making her lie back.

Kage drew up the blankets, grinning triumphantly. She tucked Aki in, opening the glass door for a bit of fresh air as the morning sunlight snuck in.

"You stay and rest while I make us some breakfast, okay?" Aki sighed, rolling her eyes.

Kage grinned and walked into the kitchen. Aki turned on her side, massaging her heart slightly. She sighed, looking around.

'Hello, Aki.' She jumped.

"Huh?"

'Why surprised, Aki?' The soft male voice spoke again, a glass edge to his words.

"Who's there?" she whispered.

'Aki, I'm right here.' She turned and stared into a pair of pale green eyes.

…………

"I must speak with Hokage-sama." Kakashi slightly panted for breath as she leaned against the door to the Hokage tower.

"Kakashi-san?!" The chuunin at the door rushed over to help him along.

"Iie," he hissed, tearing his arm away from the chuunin's grasp, "I'm fine." Liar.

He limped through the door and slowly trudged up the many steps to the Hokage's dwelling. He hadn't even bothered to tie his headband over his sharingan.

Sarutobi was busy doing paperwork when there came a bang from his entry door, and Kakashi sagged against the doorframe.

"Kakashi?!" He stood up and rushed over to Kakashi, who was slowly sliding down.

He gripped Kakashi's waist to hold him up and gently dragged him over to a couch nearby to lie him down.

"Kakashi, what happened to you?" His worried voice caused Kakashi to glare again, both his normal and sharingan eye blazing with rage.

"Nothing!" His eyes fluttered slightly before he realized where he was.

"Ho- Hokage-sama?!" He tried to get up, but Sarutobi held his arm out firmly to stop him.

"Kakashi, something is wrong. What is it?" He looked around wildly before his neck went limp.

Sarutobi placed his hand on Kakashi's forehead.

"You're feverish. Kakashi, what has happened?!" Kakashi tried to talk, but instead all he could do was pant.

"The ryu…" He cringed, biting his tongue to stop himself from screaming.

Sarutobi formed a few hand seals, casting a sleeping genjutsu over Kakashi. He checked his pulse and noticed something odd pulsed with his beat, as though two hearts coexisted in one body. He checked his eyes, seeing a slight red tinge in his otherwise dull eye. He swallowed hard.

(If only **she** were here…) He carefully undid Kakashi's vest and drew up his shirt.

He cut his finger, letting the blood drip forth.

"Usually, I would need a bigger area, but this'll have to do." He started to write kanjis over Kakashi's heart, drawing out lines of jutsu down his abdomen and arms.

He pressed his palm against Kakashi's heart, and the kanjis drew back into the one circular tattoo guarding his heart. He pulled down Kakashi's shirt and left the vest unzipped.

Kakashi slowly came to.

"Hokage…-sama?" Sarutobi smiled softly.

"It's okay, Kakashi." He moaned slightly as he sat up, feelings of embarrassment overwhelming him.

"It's good that you came to me for help. I can only hold him off with this seal. But you must be careful for ill feelings break it. Think of it as the Fuuja Houin." He patted Kakashi on the back gently.

Kakashi just stared at him blankly.

(…I am so confused...)

…………

"Okay, you can get out of bed now." Kage rolled her eyes, grinning.

Aki shakily stood up before inhaling deeply. She looked down at Karma, who stared up at her purring as she rubbed against Aki's hips from the bed. She walked into the bathroom, took her time in the shower, got dressed and slowly went for the door.

"Kage, I want you to come with me." She was slightly surprised at Aki's request, but she tagged along.

Aki led her to a wooded area in Konoha, and faced her.

"I only have two weeks left before I go into the third test. I need you to learn from me, and in turn, teach me." Kage, in her naïve personality, was totally stumped by what Aki had just said.

Aki chuckled and bit her thumb, causing it to bleed.

"I'm going to teach you a new move. Are you ready?" Kage nodded.

She smeared the blood against the dragon tattoo, swallowing. Would she be able to summon her chakra? Well, only one way to find out. She hastily formed a few hand seals.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" In a fiery explosion of phoenix red, sun yellow and sea blue smoke with blades of purple and green lightning, the creature loomed above her, seven pairs of eyes glaring at Aki.

"No way…" Aki gawked, her eyes wide with awe.

From the other side of Konoha, someone could hear Aki's triumphant and somewhat foreboding laughter.


	25. Demons Wear Many Masks

**Shiroi Hikari,** {grins darkly} Finally, there is one such as I who worships the God of gore, blood and...stuff.........yeah......um...

Anywho, hope ya'll's like it!

XD

Making people go insane is fun! {nods}

* * *

"We must destroy that demon as soon as possible!" Others chimed in with the jounin.

"Look what he has done to Kakashi- san!" Some looked at Kakashi, who was hunched over in his Indian style.

"That isn't enough proof!" Iruka stood up.

"Who is to say that the demon did this? What harm is there to befall from one man's nightmares?!"

"Everything!" The jounin stood taller than Iruka.

"My wife told me when she got home one day with Junshi crying in her arms, that the ryu demon tried to hypnotize my son to his death!"

"How could you say that?! Akiosu, by all means, is NOT a threat to Konoha!"

"Or are you merely trying to protect the host, Iruka?"

"Why are you so keen on getting rid of an innocent teenager?" Kakashi didn't look up as he spoke softly and slowly.

"What kind of question is that, Kakashi?!" He chuckled airily.

"A question, Shiraku. Nothing more." He glared at the laid back jounin.

"Did you hit your head on Mt. Hokage?! Have you forgotten what had passed 11 years ago?!"

"Do you realize that he is still here?"

"That's beside the point!"

"No, it isn't."

"Akiosu has a rampant demon inside of her! And if the Yodaime were here-" Kakashi flinched at the mention of his tutor's name, "- HE could be able to stop this demon!"

"Even if it costs his life…AGAIN?" A cold shudder ran through his words.

"By whatever necessary means to get rid of Sikuliah, yes!" No one in the group had even seen Kakashi stand up so fast.

He slowly approached Shiraku, and glared into his eyes, both his normal and sharingan burning as the red one slowly began to turn.

"How **dare **you disrespect the one who sacrificed his LIFE to ensure the existence of the village would survive!" Shiraku gulped.

"Ka- Kakashi- san, I di- didn't mean it th- that way…" Red slowly flecked in Kakashi's normal and otherwise lifeless eye.

"You would flaunt your existence and mock the one who made sure it was possible? How selfish can you be?!" A small growl purred in his throat as he gripped the jounin's collar.

"Kakashi- san, let's be reasonable here..." A smirk creased the mask on his face.

"What a phrase, coming from you." Those were not his words.

It wasn't even his voice.

"Kakashi?" Iruka held one of his shoulders.

His eyes fluttered before he let go, his palms pressing against his temples. Iruka directed him to sit back down, patting him on the back gently to calm him down. He looked up again, a firm look in his eyes as he glared at Shiraku.

"He's right, Shiraku-san. She's just an innocent child. Nothing more."

"AND SO WAS NARUTO!!" Shiraku got back his fire, glaring harder at Iruka.

"Mizuki was right in saying that you hated the little brat!" Iruka never felt such a rage burn inside of him.

"Naruto is the best student I have ever had. I have never hated him in my life." His words were cold, rages flaming at the edges of them.

"See?! Even YOU lie to yourself, just as Kakashi has in his blind vision." Shiraku hurried to the door.

"Anyone who believes that this poison should be stopped at the heart, leave this room now." He swung open the door, and slammed it behind him.

A graveyard silence filled the room. Slowly, one by one, jounin and chuunin left the secret meeting.

"Sorry, Kakashi. He's right." He kept his head bowed as the jounin left the room.

Only Iruka, Anko, Asuma, and Gai were left in the room.

"We have to stop them." Kakashi said quietly, "Intimidation and anger brings out the demon, and we'd rather not spill blood tonight. Especially of our own." Iruka nodded.

"Stay here, Kakashi. We'll be back." Kakashi tried to get up.

"You cannot go in this condition. You need to rest." Gai stood up, nodding at Asuma.

"We'll take care of this." Anko grinned.

Kakashi nodded, and leaned against the wall as they left and his vision faded out.

…………

BANG BANG BANG BANG!!

"Muuuh, not yet…"

BANG BANG BANG BANG!!

"Uhhhhhhn, five more minutes…"

BANG BANG BANG BANG!!

"Alright, I'm up! Sheesh!" Aki sat on the edge of her bed, groggy-eyed and disoriented.

"Huh?" She looked at her clock.

She got out of bed slowly, loosely tying a robe around her. She slowly unlocked the door downstairs and stared at the mob of shinobi crowed by her door.

"Any particular reason why you are at my door at 2 in the morning?" She yawned.

Shiraku stood forward, a mask of a fox covering his face.

"Akiosu?" His voice was ominous.

"No, I'm the Sandaime." She lowered her eyes, leaning against the doorframe as she looked at them with disdain.

"Silence. You are to be evicted from Konoha. Will you come quietly?"

"Who gave you authority?"

"That is besides the point."

"Y'know what? Why don't you lovely folks go on home, curl up with a bottle or two of sake and shut up, okay?" Aki closed the door in their face.

She slowly walked back up the steps, yawning and scratching her head. Something smashed through the wood of the door and sunk into the wall beside Aki's head. She stared wide-eyed at the kunai that barely scratched her cheek before her brows and eyelids lowered in a scowl.

"Is there something I can help you with, boys?" Her scowl darkened at the sight of the weapons "hidden" on the nin that stood before her.

A rock fell from the darkness of the night and struck Aki in the shoulder, causing her to falter. Like a herd of horses being released from their pen, the nin rushed up to grab Aki.

"KONOHA SENPUU!!" Nin were blown back as Gai kicked them away.

Aki looked up, perplexed.

"Did I miss something here?!" Iruka helped her up.

"Hai, you did. In a way. Just stay back." Anko was rounding up chuunin as Asuma trapped a few with Kanashibari no Jutsu.

One managed to get through the barrier and charged straight for Aki. Everything seemed to have slowed down as her eyes caught the racing jounin. She turned to face him, building up her chakra. He brought a kunai to his hands, aiming straight for her heart.

"Iie…" She whispered.

Her pointer finger touched the jounin's forehead, and he fell forward on the dirt, out cold and motionless. Aki looked down at him before pulling the kunai out of her thigh. Something about this jounin struck her curiosity. A Konoha ninja…attacking his own kind?! She torn off the fox mask, and jumped, stifling a scream. Locks of sun blonde hair flowed up from where she had taken the mask off, a small line of blood dripping from his mouth.

"Tsu- Tsu…!!" Her world started to fade suddenly as she gripped her thigh wound tightly.

She started to fall, hearing Iruka cry out something. Strong hands caught her as she felt ground slide underneath her.

(Tsukaji…you bastard…)

Her vision suddenly exploded back into clarity, and she stared at the jounin that stood above her, Iruka checking her to see if she was still alive.

"Akiosu? Are you awake?" He smiled softly.

"Huh?! What the-?!" She tried to get up, but Iruka's grip on her told her otherwise.

"Iie, Asuma is taking out the poison."

"Poison?!"

"Apparently, the kunai that struck you was covered in poison, but thankfully, we're bleeding it out."

(No wonder my thigh hurts like hell right now…)

"What the hell happened?! Why was I woken up at 2 in the morning?!"

"Shiraku spoke out against you and wished you either evicted or dead. We few held against him." Aki noticed Anko tie up some of the jounin while Gai was eyeing a few others moaning from their wounds.

"Where's Kakashi? Shouldn't he have stopped them?" Iruka's face grew concerned.

"He isn't feeling so well. He's resting right now. Apparently, since it's 3 in the morning now." Aki moaned at the mention of time.

"I get woken up to get beaten down, great." She muttered to herself, a scowl taking over her face.

Iruka chuckled slightly before looking at Asuma.

"Finished yet, Asuma?"

"Almost." He opened Aki's wound up a little wider, making her wince in pain.

"Careful, Asuma." Iruka comforted her as the pain screamed up her leg.

"What…What happened to the jounin that struck me?" Iruka looked over his shoulder.

"What?!"

"What is it?"

"He's…vanished…" Aki sighed.

(That is to be expected from one of the failing Sound…)

Aki was about to speak when Asuma cut in a little deeper to cause blood to come forth. After a few more minutes, Asuma wrapped up her thigh and nodded. Iruka nodded back and gently lifted Aki up.

"I can walk on my own." She tried to get out of his arms.

"Iie, you've lost too much blood. Rest for now. Tomorrow you should be able to walk." Aki had a hard time staying focused.

"Thank you, Iruka…Tell Gai, Asuma, and Anko I say the same for them as well…" She passed out.

Iruka sighed softly and quietly entered Aki's apartment to lay her down in her bed, making sure not to wake up Kage. He took a double glance at Aki, wondering how such a child could be a target. He bowed his head, and poofed out of the room.

…………

She found herself standing in the reception area of the hospital, swallowing hard. She had been requested by Hayate, who was in ICU.

"S'cuse me?" the nurse looked up.

"Can you tell me where Hay-"

"Ah yes, he requested to see you. He's in room D45."

"Domo." Aki walked to the stairs that led up to the D floor, a slight limp in her step. She reached D45, inhaled deeply, and gently pushed open the door.

Hayate was asleep, wires and tubes woven over his body as though some rampant vine had taken him as its prey. He didn't look sick anymore, but a pale hue had taken over his body. His breathing was shallow and slow beneath the mask, the generic calm and rather irksome beeping coming from the cardiac monitor.

Aki swallowed; why did she hesitate that night? Was she acting of free will…or was she possessed by the creator to halt…? Did she fall into a trap?

A slight groan came from Hayate as he slowly opened his eyes. Aki squeaked, and stepped back as he turned his head to see a blurry image of a person.

"A…Aki…osu?" She bowed her head reluctantly.

Hayate gulped and slightly sat up in bed.

"Why, Aki?" His voice was quiet, almost fearful.

"What what?"

"Why did you stop me?"

"You would've been killed if I hadn't."

"How do you know?"

"Hayate…He's more powerful than you. And in your heart, you knew you were dead as soon as the Sand nin grabbed your blade."

"But when you kicked me aside, why didn't you kill me as well?"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"The ryu…I saw him…"

"No surprise."

"But why didn't he kill me?"

"We were trying to save you, Hayate. And we have."

He coughed slightly before clearing his throat.

"How…how can I be sure you won't try to kill me now?"

"Hayate…" she sighed; how many times did she have to repeat this?

"You don't have to fear me. And anyway, did you WANT to be killed?"

"No."

"Then why summon me with that expectation?"

"Because he's a demon!"

"Then why ask for me?"

"I…"

"To thank me or curse me, which is it?"

Hayate paused.

"…Thank you…for saving my life…" He bowed his head.

She smiled softly.

"When you feel well enough to leave this place, bring that information to the Hokage as fast as you can, hai?" He looked up, confused.

She smiled, a soft giggle in her throat before she left without another word. He stared at the door, his mind reeling with thoughts before a light- headedness took over.

…………

"This is odd…" The Hokage stood in front of Gai, Iruka, Asuma and Anko, perplexed by their queer report.

"They ALL don't remember being at her house?!" Iruka nodded.

"Maybe they all got their sense kicked outta them." Gai looked at Asuma, a small sweatdrop running down the side of his head.

"They say that they left the room, and then lost consciousness? For no apparent reason?" They nodded.

"And of Shiraku?"

"His alibi was that he was at home all night. His wife vouches for the same." His brow furrowed.

"We've never had this much trouble before…and so soon, too."

"There's something else I think you should know, Hokage- sama…" Iruka shuffled his feet.

"What is it?"

"Kakashi has gone missing."

…………

He tried finding a way out, but it was like a mouse caught in a labyrinth. He went around in circles, his vision swirling around him. Pain and screams filled his body and soul, red consuming his sight. He screamed, grabbing his head. Blood leaked out of his mouth as he tried to catch his breath. Red consumed his eyes before he blacked out.

"_Heh heh heh…she didn't see this outlet, did she?_" He stood up in a deranged manner, red eyes glaring at his clawed hands.


	26. Matinee of Blood and Dragons

Sowwy bout not getting this chappie up yesterday when it was finished. First, Fanfiction wouldn't let me in, then I had to go to a renaissance faire (fun fun!) and then I signed up on deviantart (in no particular order, btw)

But, here it is, and I'll shut up (cept for maybe getting 25 reviews since there are 25 people on my author's alert; that would be nice)

* * *

He inhaled deeply, a growl burbling in his changed vocal cords as he exhaled.

"_What issss thisssssss feeling insssssside of meeeeeee?_" He flexed his hands, eyeing the claws.

"_Where issss thissss power deriving from?_" He exhaled slowly, his eyes rolled up slightly as an exuberant feeling overtook his senses.

A primal fury started to take hold in him.

"_Kakassshhhhi, you're mine nooow…_" The claws went for his face.

He sunk his claws behind Kakashi's jaw, slowly inhaling as a roar grew in his chest. He drove his claws in deeper, the threads of a squall slithering off of his now blue tongue. With a bellowing howl, he tore off Kakashi's slender face, a snout coming forth. He breathed deeply as Kakashi's flesh slid off of his arms and legs like a plastic casing, silver scales glimmering as the bushy mane of hair spread down his spine. Yellow scale plating grew from Kakashi's chest and forearms, layered in cartilage and glowing slightly. Wings sprouted from his back, flecking off slime and other lubricates as his fur covered wings spread out.

He lifted his snout to the air, and inhaled.

"_Thissssssssssss issssssn't Shiraku'sssssss blood…_" He lowered his body to the grassy floor, and slithered into the underbrush like a python.

…………

"Still bleeding…" Tsukaji wrapped up his arm, yanking at the gauze with his teeth while he struggled to keep a strawberry pocky in his mouth.

"Why is it that I can't get this girl?!" he scowled, biting down on his pocky.

He dabbed a bit of disinfectant against a black and blue on his side before he massaged his forehead.

"What did she do to me?" Half of his treat was missing from biting down in pain.

"_Tsuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukaaaaaajiiiiiiiiiii…_" Cooed a clod voice that whispered through the branches of the surrounding trees.

He jumped, and looked around warily.

"_I sssssssseeeeeeeeeee yoooooooooooooooou…_" Something twitched in the hedge that sat before him.

He slid a kunai out from his satchel, and waited for the creature to appear. A deep growl rustled the leaves of a bush, something red glinting. Thunder mumbled overhead, the trees howling in the uptake of wind. Rain pelted the grass and leaves, blinding Tsukaji slightly. Sliver wings pushed through the leaves of the bush, rising up. Red eyes slowly opened, and thrusts his wings aside, Sikuliah squalled as a bolt of lightning cut the sky, illuminating his scales, fangs and eyes.

He cried out in fear, and scrambled to his feet.

"**_YOU!_**" The crimson eyes narrowed as his hissed at Tsukaji.

Two voices blended into one, leaving no syllable to their words marred.

"_Y_o_u _t_r_i_e_d_ t_o _t_a_k_e _h_e_r _f_r_o_m _m_e_…" He growled the words, his fangs dripping in the rain.

He gawked at the silver best before a smug chuckle boiled in his throat.

"So, you've taken another human?! I didn't know you were that desperate!" In a flash, Sikuliah had Tsukaji in a death-grip by his neck.

"_If I were you, Tssssssssukaji, I'd pray_." He began to squeeze.

Tsukaji gasped for breath, and drove the kunai into Sikuliah's forearm. He dropped him and screeched in pain. Tsukaji scuttled to his feet and tried to run away, but something blue and slimy wrapped around his ankle, and whipped him back.

"_I don't think ssssssssooooo…_" With gleaming fangs, he bit into Tsukaji's shoulder, sucking out blood as he screamed in agonizing pain.

He released Tsukaji, making him fall on the ground. He gripped his shoulder, wincing in pain as she tried to get away. Sikuliah snickered darkly.

"_I'd love to sssssssee you try_." Tsukaji stared at Sikuliah in shock before an excruciating pain shot through his head.

"_You did not know of the poison I possssessssss, did you?_" Tsukaji howled in pain, writhing on the grass.

"_Amanecer de la Niebla Carmesí…I don't ssssuposse you know what that meanssss, hmmm?_" Sikuliah rested his weight on the balls of his feet as he propped his arms against his knees, staring at Tsukaji.

"_It meansssss "Dawn of the Crimson Missst"._" Tsukaji's sight was hoarded by the fears he had hidden within himself for many years, his eyes blinded in a red haze.

"_It bringsss forth the demonsss inssside of you…_" Tsukaji's torso swung up before he swayed.

Siku's eyes glinted with a perverse interest.

"_Dragon'sss Kisssssssssss…_" Tsukaji shrieked in pain as blood was forced out of his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

"_Blood…_"

Tsukaji wrestled with himself, blood now being pulverized out of his body through every pore in his skin. Sikuliah stole a lick from Tsukaji, smacking his tongue to get the taste.

"_Bittersweet around the edgessss, but tender in the cccenter…_" He purred, his grinning fangs shining.

Tsukaji coughed up blood, his body convulsing before he collapsed, inert. Sikuliah sighed, turning him over.

"_And I thought he would have survived to the lassst ssstage…_" He shrank back into Kakashi's form, but the eyes remained.

He sniffed the blood on Tsukaji's carcass before sinking his fangs into his chest, tearing the flesh away to get to the heart.

…………

Rain was not the only thing falling. Kakashi knelt beside Tsukaji's torn body, cardiac flesh resting in his hands as the rain washed away some of the blood. Tears ran down his face before he buried his mouth back into the heart, devouring it ravenously as though he hadn't eaten for days.

"_Bloooooooood…_" He stopped again before shoveling more into his blood soaked mouth.

…………

She had feared the rain in Konoha, but now, seeing that she was labeled a demon, what point was there to hide? She strolled through the forest, rain dripping black against her before changing back.

Something snapped in the underbrush, making Aki stop. A couple of more branches snapped before a body stumbled out. Aki cried out in surprise before her eyes widened in fear.

"Ka- Kakashi?!"

He was on his knees, his palms pressed into the grass as he gagged. Aki warily stepped towards him, afraid of what he might do. His head shot up, and Aki screamed as she saw a pair of red eyes stare at her.

"A- Aki…" His eyes widened, and his neck went limp.

He threw up blood and pieces of red flesh, his back rippling in repulsiveness.

"Kakashi!" Aki knelt down beside him, a hand on his back as he coughed and sputtered.

He wildly looked around before he bit Aki in the shoulder. She gritted her teeth but didn't react.

"**I** did this to you, didn't I?" A tear left her eyes.

"I made you become him…" She bowed her head, rain accompanying her tears.

"Take my blood as punishment…I will not stop you." Her brows lowered in a self-scowl as Kakashi slowly took blood from her, still possessed by the ryu demon.

(I did this…)

She rested a hand on his head, smoothing out his hair slightly as if automatically. She winced slightly from the pain, but refused to fight back. It made her think back to the fight that she had had with Corona…that bitch…

She felt his fangs suddenly slip out of her shoulder, a surprised cough coming from the silver- haired jounin. She looked down to see Kakashi gasping for breath, his eyes now mismatched.

"A-AKI?!" She gave a small smile.

"Hai."

"Oh my God!" he covered his mouth, feeling sick.

She shushed him.

"There is nothing you should be ashamed of."

"Aki…" Tears left his face.

"Iie, you did only what was instinct. I do not accuse you of any wrong."

"You saw-?!"

"Saw what?"

"The dead…carcass…in the forest…" He blindly pointed in one direction.

Her eyes slowly drifted down to where he had vomited before they widened in fear. Those red slivers…were pieces of heart! She covered her mouth, also feeling sick.

"Kakashi…I didn't know!" He bowed his head, moaning weakly.

"Kakashi?" He fell forward.

"Kakashi?!" She caught him, and placed his upper torso in her lap, tears and self-shame overwhelming her.

"We should never have met…I should never have wished for another life…This wouldn't have happened to you! I wouldn't be in this mess! Your life would have been normal in your eyes if only I hadn't intervened!" She grabbed her head, screaming in rage inside of her.

(SIKULIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!)

{WHAT?!}

(WHY, YOU BASTARD?! WHY?!)

{WHY WHAT?!}

Her eyes lowered in a glare. The hatred slowly cranked back into motion in her heart, rage circulating through her body.

"I'll kill you."

Green eyes appeared suddenly.

'Iie.'

"I'll kill him!"

'Aki, stop.'

Tears of pure anger slid down her face.

'Aki, you're falling into his trap. Stop!'

The green eyes materialized in front of her, black fur smoothing around them.

'Stop.'

Her rage slowly dissipated, and she didn't notice that she was holding Kakashi's head close to her.

'Calm down, Aki.' She slowly bowed her head, her wound showing.

The green eyes approached her shoulder, and began to lick at her bite slowly. The fang marks slowly healed up and vanished without a scar left behind.

"Domo." Fen bowed his head before reaching down to pick up Kakashi.

"Can you take him back home?" Fen nodded and dashed off into the trees.

She looked up at the sky, rain dripping against her face.

"Kakashi…forgive me…" She fell to her knees, and began to cry.

…………

Something small was licking at his arm. Chaos swirled in his mind, thunder moaning in the distance. A bolt of lighting the whip of thunder snapped him awake, making him look around wildly. He gripped the futon blanket to his chest, breathing fast.

He looked around, and looked down at his forearm. No wound…but he could've sworn he was stabbed with a kunai. He felt his face and heart, but felt no different. He lay back down, exhaling in relief.

"A bad dream…a VERY bad dream…" He slowly went back to sleep.

The green eyes lowered, feelings of pity and sympathy emanating from the wolf.

'I am sorry, Kakashi.'

…………

The day had finally arrived. Aki was standing in the separate compartment where the fighters for the third and final test would compete against each other for the title of chuunin.

Aki looked around, seeing the Anbu that wafted in the stands.

(I hope Hayate's out…I couldn't tell the Hokage myself, but…how am I gonna save HIM?!)

Being too preoccupied in thought, Aki hadn't realized that Shikamaru had just forfeited to Temari.

"Shit, is it my go already?" She picked up her staff.

Naruto grinned, bruises covering her face and body from the fight he had against Neji.

"You can do it, Aki!" She grinned, and ruffled the kitsune's hair.

"Thanks."

Down below, Temari was enjoying her victory when a sudden chill took her body. The referee noticed the look on the Sand nin's face, and looked to where the challenger was coming out. Tentacles of shadow spread out against the dirt of the stadium, slithering as they waited for their host to appear. A face began to stretch out from the shadows, black pulling away as Aki's image appeared. The shadows spread out as she approached Temari, emotionless save for the determined glare in her eyes.

She drew out a kunai, and cut her palm deep enough that it bled profusely, and placed it over her eyes.

"On my count!" The ref held up his hand.

Aki grinned.

"Begin!" Temari charged for Aki, her fan open.

"Let'ssssssssssss get sssstarted, shall we?" Aki drew down her hand, and as the blood dripped off of her face, red eyes gleamed at Temari.

She stopped short, fear coiling through her legs. Aki was doing a bluff; Henge no jutsu had changed her eyes and voice, but nothing more than to intimidate Temari.

…………

"Why didn't she give up?!" Kankuro looked worried for his teammate.

"Because she never does." Came the smooth answer from Gaara.

…………

Aki made a few hands seals, and slit her wrist open.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU: KIJIN RYU!" The blood that poured from her wrist circled her before igniting orange flame and black spirals of chakra.

Indigo electricity webbed around Aki, her blood ring turning white. Chakra tornadoed around her, wind, water, fire, earth, light and darkness all meshed into it. With a bellowing roar, the chakra exploded outwards, and showered down in red ashes. And standing before Temari was Kijin Ryu.

"Do you know what his name means?" Aki grinned cunningly.

" "Demon Dragon God"…" Temari gawked, nearly dropping her fan.

"That's right." Aki wiggled her eyebrows before the towering behemoth above her growled fiercely.

She turned around to face him before a set of black claws torn her side and most of her back open. Blood poured out and spilled against the dirt, gasps from the stands added to the flow. Temari looked confused.

The dragon cut its chest open with a claw, black blood oozing out. Sinking his claws into the cut, her tore his chest open. Grossed out fans ducked as "ew"s went about. Veins slithered out of his chest and latched themselves to Aki's bleeding back as veins from her body sunk into his. Her body was lifted up and into his chest, and the scales sealed shut over her.

…………

"AKI?!" Naruto was both dumbfounded and disgusted.

…………

The dragon shuddered, its wings spreading out. It slowly opened its eyes, yellow ringed with mahogany as the slits narrowed on Temari.

"Let'ssssss begin." Kijin Ryu grinned darkly, brandishing his claws.

**............**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	27. Tears of Crimson

Kijin Ryu burbled a soft hiss before lashing out at Temari like a fork of lightning. She didn't have time to calculate what to do when a thick leather-like tail slammed into her back sending her crashing into the arena wall. The dragon squalled, and wrapping his tail around her ankles threw her over his head and smashed her into the ground. He flung her aside as he licked the blood off his tail.

Temari slowly gathered her wits and picked up her fan. She looked up and right into the dragon's yellow eyes.

"_Heeeelllllooooooooooo_." He grinned darkly, pulling his lips back farther than his eyes.

He snagged on Temari's left foot and flung her in the other direction, electricity flooding under his taloned feet. His scales changed from a black to an electrical yellow. He narrowed his eyes and made a few hand seals.

"Raiton Ryuuka no Jutsu!" His chest puffed up, and blue electricity exploded from his mouth, spiraling towards Temari with a squalling dragon head.

Hushed whispers ran through the crowd at the sound of the new jutsu. Temari pulled herself together just in time to see the dragon comes towards her. She swung her fan as hard as she could, and the dragon swerved upwards into the sky. Moans from the crowd supported the ryu.

"_Kuso, I forgot. You're close- range…_" He grinned.

The Raiton Ryuuka flew up into the skies, and vanished within the clouds. A small flash of light was seen before an explosive **BOOM **rumbled through the crowd's bones. Kijin Ryu grinned.

"_Looks like we'll have to take it in a bit of a different direction, eh?_" He took a step towards her, his scales softly fading to an aquamarine while purple tattoos swirled over his body.

Temari was about to perform Kuchiyose no Jutsu when the dragon suddenly vanished. She looked around, confused but alert. Rain and thunder began to fall. Hushed mumbles of confusion rippled through the crowd. Naruto was wondering where Aki went; he knew she never gave up, even if death was next.

The ground shook slightly. Temari gripped her fan tighter. Again.

Boom.

She looked around, wondering what was causing it.

BOom.

Her eyes shifted left and right, but she couldn't see what was going on. The lightning flashed and the thunder bellowed.

BOOm.

Her heart sped up, pumping blood faster through her system. Her legs froze; she never felt so afraid before.

BOOM.

Where was it?!

BOOM!

She was practically lifted an inch or two off of the ground as the quakes grew louder and harder.

BOOM!

A high pitched siren- like whine came from outside the stadium, making the crowd cover their ears in pain. Even Kakashi was having a hard time staying focused.

It stopped. Nothing moved, save for the rain and lightning that fell relentlessly.

In the blink of an eye, Temari found herself standing in water. It slowly flooded up to her waist, lapping peacefully against her fan. She gulped and looked around. The stadium had vanished, and as far as the eye could see, it was just water and sky. Something dashed passed her underwater. She threw a kunai at it, but the shadow was too quick, and darted ahead. It suddenly emerged, explosions of water and snow blue chakra swirling passed the giant sea serpent.

It had no visible eyes, its long, tattooed body coiling underneath it. Small wings of emerald and magenta held up its horned head as it turned to stare at Temari. She could feel the leviathan glare at her before he slowly reared back his head. He shot forward, weaving its knotted body undone and chakra swirled behind him. He charged faster and faster, homing in on Temari.

She could defend herself easily; he was charging too obviously. She drew out three senbon and prepared for him to strike. She would move out of the way, and as he passed, if she could time it just right, she could stab them into his gills. But if that didn't work, she could always weaken the beast.

All of her thinking caused her to forget exactly what was going on, and in seconds, her being was covered in shadow. The leviathan summoned up a tsunami with its chakra, dragging it straight at Temari.

"_BLOCK THIS!_" He dove downwards slightly, and the wave came crashing down upon Temari, swallowing her faster than she could dodge it (if she could).

The dragon arched slowly, soaring back to where Temari was. He grinned, and morphed back into his yellow form.

"_Sweet dreams, Temari_." He rose to the thundering sky open, and fusing his chakra with it, he summoned a great lightning bolt.

"_Ready…_"

"_Aim…_" He targeted on Temari's floating body.

"_And…FIRE!!_"

An enormous blot of blinding yellow lightning shot from the sky, a dragon's head opening up fanged jaws.

Temari slowly came to, coughing up water as she looked around. The stadium had returned, and worried eyes were staring at the calamity that was to befall Temari. She looked around, confused. She looked up and gaped as the dragon was inches from her. She dodged, flinging her body weight aside so that the bolt hit the ground. She grinned before she realized the flaw in her plan.

She was still in water.

The dragon's snout just barely touched the water's surface, but the powerful shock it held traveled through the liquid, claiming Temari. An explosion that forced the crowd to cover their eyes erupted, water and electricity flying in all directions. The furious black clouds swirled before dispersing as though a storm had never occurred.

Kijin Ryu slowly lowered to the ground below, a rainbow from the sun rain arching behind him. His clawed feet touched the soaked dirt, and his slowly approached Temari's convulsing body. He cocked his head to one side, watching Temari writhe.

He backed away, and howled out in pain as black blood spurted from his chest. The wound he created earlier opened itself up, and Aki slid out, covered in black ooze and blood. The dragon roared, and was swept away in a whirl of elements.

Aki lay still for a moment before coughing and spluttering, choking up crimson and black. She stood shakily, gripping her staff tightly to help herself up. She hoarsely inhaled, taking in deep breaths as though she had been underwater for too long. She spat out more crimson as she turned to face the ref. Temari still lay on the ground, motionless save for a twitch every now and then.

"Akiosu is the winner!" He brought down his hand to signal it was over.

She grinned as the crowds cheered for their own, demon or not. She walked towards the entrance, but decided to take a different route.

…………

"Huh? Where did Aki go?" Naruto looked around before he jumped.

"Hiya!" Aki's eyes were arched up in a grin, a bruise here and there.

She clung to the railing, the balls of her feet resting on them.

"Aki! You did it!" she smiled before she suddenly froze.

"Aki?" She slowly keeled backwards, falling.

"AKI!" He gripped the railing, trying to see her.

Something black and red darted by, catching Aki as it walked through the entrance. Fen lay Aki down on the floor, hoping no one would rush down and see him. He sighed, and nudged Aki on her side, seeing the three senbon.

'Lost too much chakra and you're wounded; great.' He gripped the first one in hi teeth, and gently wiggled it out.

A small line of blood shot from the opened wound, but Fen slowly licked at the blood, the wound healing over. He took out the other two and healed her wounds.

"Aki?!" Fen looked up, his green eyes wide with fear.

"Aki, what-" Naruto stopped at the sight of Aki.

She was lying on the floor, unconscious.

"Aki?" Naruto knelt down beside her, tapping her shoulder.

She coughed and slowly opened her eyes.

"Na…ruto?" She slowly sat up, gripping her side.

"You okay?" She shook her head.

"Too little chakra…feeling dizzy…" She pressed a palm against her temple.

Naruto carefully helped Aki up, letting her rest her torso weight against his shoulder as he helped her up the stairs.

"Domo…"

He appeared with Aki back in the small box that the fighters were seated in, lying Aki down on one of the benches. She gingerly slipped her headphones on, thankful that they hadn't been smashed in the fight and turned her player onto Earshot's "Wait". Her vision swirled, remembering what was to happen.

"Naruto…" She whispered, flicking a hand to catch is attention.

"Hmm?" He leaned in to hear her whisper.

"Naruto…forgive me for not saying this directly, but…" She coughed.

"What is it?"

"Save the sand badger; the desert has clouded his sight." She grinned slightly before she passed out.

" "Sand badger"?" He looked up at Gaara, his eyes wide.

…………

Everything happened so fast. The Kazekage snagged the Hokage, taking him hostage as the jounin fought with the now revealed Sound nins. Sasuke ran after Gaara, wanting to finish the fight.

A Sound nin leered over Aki, resting a kunai against her neck.

"She's the one, isn't she, Kabuto-san?"

The one wearing the tiger mask nodded. The Sound nin went to pick her up when he suddenly collapsed.

"Kazigen?!" Kabuto shook his partner before he glared up, "You."

Aki stood up, her chakra flaring.

"Get away from me." Claws slowly grew from her hands.

"The ryu…" He breathed, backing away.

She grinned darkly.

"Yesssssssssss." Leaping over his head and climbing the walls with her chakra, she made her way to the main crowd, who were all under the genjutsu.

"Flippin' mesu!" Kabuto poofed, and appeared before Aki.

She hissed and bypassed him as she rushed towards Kakashi, who was busy summoning Pakkun.

"Kakashi- sensei!" she cried out, a sliver of fear in her voice.

Kabuto swept in front of her.

"You cannot escape me, Akiosu." She snarled.

"Like hell, I will!" She tried to attack him when her claws were parried aside.

"KAKASHI!" Kabuto slammed his fist into her stomach, stunning her.

He looked up and gasped.

"AKI!" Kakashi darted over the rows of unconscious people, and side- kicked Kabuto in the back of the head.

He dropped Aki as he fell, her body tumbling down the steps. Her back slammed into the railing, and she lay there.

"Aki! Hang on!" He punched Kabuto in the face, breaking the mask slightly.

She slowly came to, coughing from the pain that traveled to the back of her spine. She warily got up, gripping the railing as she bent down to pick up her staff. She looked up and saw Kabuto coming from her. Panicking, the only outlet she had of escape was to jump off. Gripping the railing, she flung herself over and landed in a roll. She scuttled up and rushed for the wall, gathering chakra to climb it. Jumping upwards, she hopped over it in three moves, vanishing.

"KUSO!" He knocked Kakashi with the hilt of his kunai and raced after her.

She didn't know where to go, didn't know where to hide. The punk song, driving through her veins, was pumping her adrenaline. She missed the feeling. The rush. It was like meeting an old friend again.

She heard the snapping of twigs above her and saw Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru and Pakkun racing to find Sasuke.

"Hey, guys!" She hissed.

They jumped in shock, and looked down.

"Aki?!"

"SHH!! Sound nin are coming for you guys. Run for it! I'll be the decoy, Shikamaru." He jumped again.

How did she know of the plan he was about to tell the others?!

"Quick! They're almost here, go!" She stopped in a clearing as the other four ran off.

She prepared herself for the nin, but didn't have a clue as it what she didn't expect.

"Hello, Akisou." She swallowed hard.

"Leave me alone, pokemon." Kabuto stopped short.

"What did you call me?" She stood her ground.

"Leave me alone!" He chuckled darkly.

"Orochimaru- sama wants you, Akiosu. It's an invitation you cannot refuse." He approached her slowly.

"Stay back!" Her fear was rising.

He was too quick for her and had Aki in his grip. A sudden chill ran up his arm and with shocked eyes, he stared into scarlet hued ones.

"Let go." She commanded in a cold voice.

Overwhelmed by his fear, he did. She whipped out a kunai and spat some of her blood down upon it. A kanji tattooed to the iron, hissing and bubbling. Kabuto was paralyzed, and he didn't know why. Was it a genjutsu? Or had his fear been opened?

His thoughts led him to forget what was going on. Aki dashed under his arm, and stabbed him in the side with the cursed kunai.

"_Every moment you are awake, Kabuto, know that I am coming for you_." She purred ominously, twisting the dagger in his flesh painfully.

He tried to scream, but could move. His awoken fear pinned him down.

"_And every second you are asleep, know what I am to do to you._" The occult voice grinned in its words, and left the kunai impaled.

Aki ran passed him and vanished into the trees. Kabuto stood there, still before his knees buckled and he gripped the kunai. He spat out blood, the crimson slipping through the cracked mask. His fingers fumbled with the iron dagger before he wrenched in out, blood spewing from the wound.

"What did the ryu mean by that?" He stared at the kunai before he dropped it, frozen.

A red image appeared before him, eyes glaring at him. An unspeakable pain slashed through his head, making him scream out in pain as he gripped his head. Blood shot out of his mouth as he howled in agony, trying to tear the image from his mind. The red eyes leered into his, spiraling his fear into his system as pain racked through his body.

…………

Hayate lay dead by the Hokage's empty seat. In all her attempts to save him, he had died trying to tell the Hokage about ambush. But he had exchanged his silence for the iron dagger, and his lips were sealed forever.

Aki stood over his dead body, tears leaving her eyes.

"You bastard…you flippin bastard…" She fell to her knees.

"THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR SAVING YOU?!" She gripped the stone floor with her claws.

She had remembered a crucial point though: the creator of the series was God here, and he could pluck off anyone he'd like just by drawing it out. He wanted Hayate to die, something she ruled against…Would he try to kill her next? She might not know it unconsciously. She slammed her fist into the stone, cracking it slightly.

"And now he's going to die…"

She looked to the stands, and saw Kage lying unconscious. She lowered her eyes.

(It's best that she doesn't know…)

…………

Rain fell as the Hokage's funeral pyre was laid before the shinobi of Konoha. Naruto looked over to Konohamaru, who cried his eyes out. Iruka knelt down beside the boy to comfort him. Naruto looked back, a feeling of regret and loss weighing on his heart.

Ink slid down Aki and Kage, both sitting on the Sandaime's stone head on Mt. Hokage.

"I failed…" Kage looked up at her.

"I thought…I could change something…anything…but…" She looked up into the sky, a wry smirk on her face.

"Kami didn't want me to." Tears left her eyes.

Some of the shinobi below looked up to see a ryu and an okami standing on the third's head, red and yellow eyes glowing. Aki cried out a mournful roar while Kage howled to the raining skies.

The rain seemed to lessen as they continue their cries of sorrow to the darkened day. Aki bowed her head.

How long?

Until she was to run on luck alone?

When would she be controlled?

Just like the rest of them…

END (?)

* * *

I found out that Kabuto was the name of a shell pokemon in the ancient cards that I still possess. So that's what Aki calls him from now on. Hehehehe! 


End file.
